Checkmate
by Paper Ring
Summary: It's five years later and the team has tried to get on with their lives without the Stargate program. But when a new issue arises that requires their expertise - they all reunite to do the job - even a resigned John Sheppard who needs some serious help.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Hey guys! Yes I know _Remember _is still in-progress, and trust me, I'll finish it. This is just something I've been working on for awhile and have decided to share with you guys in hopes that you'll like it._

_Some background: SGU doesn't exist in my fic - no part of it does (which in my opinion, it the best kind of belief). It's kind of angsty, some hints at J/T but nothing too dramatic. _

_Anyway, I really hope you like it and drop a review telling me what you think! _

_Remember, you guys are great!_

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><p>"Checkmate."<p>

The scientist let out an exasperated sigh and slumped in his seat. "What's your secret?"

"Focus," he returned flatly, gathering up the pieces and placing them in the slide out drawers. "And patience."

McKay rolled his eyes and slowly stood up from his chair, giving the apartment a critical gaze. It was a mess, frankly. There was dirty clothes strewn about, old food just lying around on floors and surfaces. He didn't even want to imagine what that mound was underneath the t-shirt on the counter. "You really should clean up more often. You know how roaches can just –

"Don't have time."

"Well, hire a maid then," he suggested. "Of course, they'd don't always wear those cute little French –

"Don't have money."

A deathly silence fell over the room and Rodney mentally kicked himself. Quickly recovering, he cleared his throat. "Yes well, if you ever need –

"I don't."

Ordinarily, Dr. McKay would have been greatly stung by his friend's curtness and lack of words, but when you knew someone as long as Sheppard, there were things you came to expect – especially of late.

"Did you get the invitation?"

"Yep," John replied, sliding out of his chair and heading towards the kitchen.

Rodney followed him. "Well?"

"Well, what?" He pulled another beer – his fifth one that night – out of the fridge and popped it open.

"Well, the chicken or the salmon?" McKay stuffed his hands in his pockets and grinned. "Both are 100% citrus-free!"

"Not coming." Sheppard took a long swig and gave him a look. Then he sidled past him back into the living room.

"Not coming?" Rodney nearly shrieked, hurrying forward until he was blocking his friend's way. "Why the hell not?"

John shrugged but didn't answer.

Dr. McKay studied the other man's face intently. His eyes were lifeless and empty, his face was thin and baggy, and he looked as though he hadn't shaved in a year – which was probably the literal truth.

He'd taken a lot of crap from his friend ever since he'd noticed his declining condition, but this couldn't be tolerated. Holding out a finger, he pointed accusingly at the man's chest. "So you're telling me that you're not coming to your own best friend's wedding? We've been friends for over five years, Sheppard!"

Shoving his hand away, John shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Why, John?" Rodney demanded, crossing his arms in a firm stance. "Tell me why. Is it me, is it –

"No, it's not you guys," he protested, uttering the longest string of syllables he had in a long time. "It's me."

Unsatisfied, McKay tightened his arms together. "Oh, so the infamous, it's not you, it's me speech? Is this the part where I'm supposed to cry?"

"Stop it, Rodney," Sheppard growled, taking another drink from his beer and walking past him out onto the deck. Before he could slide the door shut behind him, the scientist forced himself through. "You need to stop running away!" he demanded, raising his voice to be heard over the loud street cars and sounds below.

"I'm not running!" John argued, glaring at him before returning to his drink.

"Yes you are," McKay insisted. "Ever since you quit the military –

"Resigned!"

"Whatever! You still turned your back on all of us, including Teyla!"

He turned on his heel, fuming. He had this savage look in his eye that Rodney had only seen in him when he was part mutant bug. "_I_didn't turn my back on her! All of _you_did! That's why I left!"

"What were we supposed to do?" he questioned, bewildered. "They shut down the 'gate for everyone! There was nothing anybody could –

Sheppard shoved past his friend again, entering the quiet apartment. McKay followed persistently behind him, right back into the living room. "Teyla would have wanted you to move on."

"Stop saying that like she's dead!" John demanded, emptying the last remnants of his bottle.

Rodney sighed. He knew better than to press that issue. The former colonel was the only one who hadn't attended the memorial service – in blatant denial. He decided to swap topics. "I know you don't want to hear this John, but we're all worried about you. You're drinking far too much and –

"Did you just come over here to tell me how to live my life?" He demanded, his eyes narrowing as he stared the smaller man down. McKay had never seen Sheppard like this before – not when he was himself – but then again, maybe he wasn't.

"I'm just concerned," he stated slowly, trying to cool down his friend's temper.

"Well, don't be!" Sheppard yelled; his face a deep crimson. His free hand jerked towards the door. "Get out!"

Rodney considered arguing with him, trying to show him reason. But even an arrogant man like him knew when to step down. He nodded in acceptance and gathered up his jacket. As he opened the door, he looked back to the man he'd admired for so long, his head hung and his hands shaking. "If you ever need to talk, just call."

Before he could give John a chance to shut him down again, he exited and shut the door behind him.

lll

"Well, I'm sorry he can't go, but there'll be other people, Rodney."

He looked up into the face of the woman he so greatly adored as she bravely feigned indifference. "I didn't even make him my best man; he just had to show up. How hard is that?"

"You have to understand, he's going through a lot right now," she said softly, scrubbing hard at the dishes and placing them on the rack to dry. "We can't expect much out of him right now."

McKay snorted. "He would have hated this, you know."

"What?"

"Sheppard – before he went all…insane, that is. He didn't like letting people down. And now he's doing it to everyone."

She sighed and shook her hands out from the sink. Sliding off her yellow rubber gloves, she turned to look at him. "Yes, we're all disappointed in the Col – John, but there's not much we can do about it. I mean, we can't drag him by his toenails to our wedding."

He twisted up his mouth. "We could try."

She laughed and he came forward to wrap her in a hug.

Patting his back, she soothed. "It'll all be alright. Besides, I…suggested that a certain ex-General pay him a visit in the near future."

Rodney chuckled and smiled in her hair. Sometimes, even he could admit that his fiancée was smarter than him…at certain things, that is. "I love you, Jennifer."

lll

If it weren't for the ounce of sanity he had left in him, he would have shot a hole through the door. In fact, after hearing the obnoxious rap at the door, he had even glanced momentarily at the drawer in the end table, where he kept his nine millimeter. "Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested!" He shouted loud enough to be heard over the volume of the football game on his television.

"What if I gave you a two-for-one deal?" a familiar voice quipped, the tone alarmingly casual.

John's heart plummeted and he quickly switched off the television set and dropped the remote to the floor. Frantically sweeping the popcorn kernels off the couch with his hand, he hurried towards the door to open it.

The gray-haired man smiled uncomfortably at him, his hands tucked into his jean pockets. "Howdy."

Unable to utter words, he merely nodded his own greeting, still staring in disbelief.

An awkward silence passed before his guest finally requested to be let in.

"Oh, yeah, sure," Sheppard stammered, opening the door wider to allow passage. He was suddenly very aware of his appearance and the state of his apartment. He should have taken McKay's advice and cleaned up a little instead of that little fib about being too busy.

Ah, McKay! He mentally cringed at the memory. He'd have to apologize…soon.

"Love what you've done with the place," his former superior stated sarcastically, taking in a view with a comical swing of his hand. He looked down at the numerous amounts of Chinese take-out boxes stacked in a neat pyramid next to the couch. "I've been thinking about doing a little Fung-shuing myself."

He smiled politely at the joke but still stood at a careful distance, now tucking his own hands into his stained sweatpants' pockets. "So what brings you by, sir?" he asked, wanting to get the question out there without all the beating around the bush.

"Please, John," he began, flipping through a completed Sudoku book that had been left on the table. "I'm retired and you're…"

He looked up and his face immediately changed into embarrassed as he quickly backpedaled. "Just call me Jack."

Sheppard nodded but highly doubted he could promise that.

"I came by because it was suggested by a friend that I pay you a visit," O'Neill answered with a slight nod.

"Rodney." He had intended to mutter but the volume unfortunately came out at an audible level.

"No, Dr. McKay was _not_ the one who called me – for once." The older man replied rocking forward on his heels. "Believe it or not, there are other people in this world that care about you."

Not wanting a repeat of last night, John grimaced and turned away, beginning to clean up a little – starting with the takeout pyramid.

"Now, I'm a pretty reasonable guy," Jack went on. "I've had my moments similar to this in the past and, wouldn't you know it, have also lost people –

"She's not dead." He said firmly, now trying to stuff the boxes into the already overflowing trash bin.

There was a pause but then he continued. "Any-hoo, I just think it is important that you realize how many people are worried about you."

"There's nothing to worry about."

"I heard what happened last night."

Sheppard chuckled darkly. "So it _was_ McKay."

"No it wasn't," he replied. "But that's not the point. Apparently, you were out of control last night. And I think, and I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I think you should seek…professional help."

He snorted. Like hell he would see a shrink. He forced his lips closed just as he was about to accuse the former general of being a hypocrite – he hated psychologists just as much as Sheppard did.

"I'm saying this out of concern for you – from all your friends; Rodney, Jennifer, Woolsey, Carter, Ronon –

"Ronon wouldn't suggest I see a therapist." John spat in disbelief, his arms crossed as he observed the man from across his apartment.

"Well, no," O'Neill admitted. "But he did use some rather choice words that I'm choosing to translate in a more civilized manner."

_That_ sounded like Ronon.

"He feels the same way, you know," the older man told him. "He hates being trapped here just as much as you do. And he also feels we could have done more for Teyla."

Resisting the urge to once again shout out his belief that his friend was not dead as they all assumed, he nodded. "All right, I'll see a psychiatrist."

"That's all I ask." Jack said, holding his hands up in satisfaction. "And for more than twenty seconds!"

Sheppard pretended to be amused and saw him off. After the visit, he grabbed his jacket and headed towards the gym. Even if he wasn't on active duty, he wanted to remain in shape – to be prepared for the day he could go after Teyla, even if no one else would.

III

It was dark and she could hear him crying - calling her, begging for her.

Her throat ached from screaming at them. It had been months – perhaps years, she had no way to know but she knew it had been exactly three weeks since she had seen him. But no amount of pleading or persuading did any good.

So she had to sit there, listening to the terrified shrieks of her only child. And she could do nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Wow - the reception for this story has been really great. It seems you guys really like this one. That makes me so happy!_

_I decided to post the second chapter a wee bit early for you guys. I hope you enjoy!_

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><p>"What is it, Leslie?" he pressed the button on the intercom; making sure to keep the frustration reigned in as much as possible.<p>

"Sorry, Mr. Woolsey, but Dr. McKay is here to see you again."

He sighed and lifted his glasses up to rub the bridge of his nose. "Send him in," he relented.

While he waited, Richard compared these frequent visits to a scab – as unattractive as that sounded. He had a wound, a very deep and horrendous one, and it was painful when he received it. But over time, the injury created a scab – and it was forgotten. But then came Rodney, to just peel that scab right off and the bleeding and pain would continue as though it had never even begun to heal.

The door opened and in walked – surprise, surprise – Dr. McKay. He smiled nervously. Woolsey merely glared at him. The last time he'd been in this office, the visit had not ended well and the raving mad scientist had been quickly escorted out with a request not to return unless invited.

He had not been invited.

"Richard," he stuck out his hand over the desk, "how've you been?"

"I've been better," Richard declined the hand and leaned back in his chair, eyeing Dr. McKay with intense skepticism. "If I weren't so frequently interrupted with –

"Yes, yes, sorry about all that," Rodney interrupted, waving his hand as though he was waving away gnats. He quickly took one of the black leather chairs in front of the desk and drew a briefcase on to his lap. "But, I don't think you're going to regret letting me in this time."

He rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Let's just skip the formalities and get straight to the bottom line this time, doctor."

McKay paused in his rummaging of his briefcase and looked surprised. "Really? A-are you sure? 'Cause I prepared this presentation and I really think –

Woolsey closed his eyes and held out his hands. "Please."

"Right, okay. I understand. You're a…a busy man now. How's the uh, life of a lawyer treating you? Well I hope? Presume? Uh, I mean assume…well, you were a busy man before and life was treating you quite well but I was just –

He was only silenced by the death glare Richard was only able to produce in certain dire situations. And as a lawyer, this was about as dire as it got.

"Bottom line, right," Rodney clasped his hands together and rubbed them nervously. He turned his eyes toward Woolsey. "We need to go back to Atlantis."

He blinked. "What? Dr. McKay, I'm assuming you still remember that the city is in custody of the United States military _and_ the IOA. They haven't let anyone in there since it arrived."

The scientist nodded, obviously frustrated with the fact that he couldn't make him understand right away. "Yes, yes I know. But…we _need_ to get back there."

"Why?"

His eyes lit up when presented with that question. "You see, this is why I brought the presentation but I suppose I can just – well, look at it like this. Atlantis was like the…motherboard for ancient information – well besides the giant head-sucking wall décor that we seem to find all over this galaxy and the next – but what I mean is that –

"Doctor, the information databank of Atlantis is being overviewed by the best people in the world," Richard told him, in disbelief that this man could be quite so blinded by the truth of something he helped set up. "We wouldn't need to return to the actual city to find information."

McKay seemed slightly taken aback by Woolsey's immediate rejection but recovered quickly. "Well, that's not what I was suggesting, actually but I –

"Doctor McKay," Richard sighed and took off his glasses as he massaged the bridge of his nose, "do you have any idea how many countless people from the Atlantis expedition come into my office every day just to try and convince me of restarting the program?"

Rodney opened his mouth to reply but Woolsey held up a finger. "That was rhetorical."

The scientist clamped it shut and looked rather embarrassed.

Richard stood from his seat and began to move about the room. "Even if I thought that it was reasonable to do such a thing – which I wouldn't – it's not in my power to do. I've left the IOA and everything it stood for behind me."

"But we can still –

"Please," the aging man looked as though he were about to collapse from exhaustion – why did _he_ get to be the one to deal with Dr. McKay's rampant and erratic ideas that he seemed to want to showcase to everyone? "Just leave. And next time, I won't let you in."

The discouragement was evident in the scientist's features and Woolsey felt a pang of guilt, but there was nothing he could do – no matter how much he wanted to go along with McKay's plans, reckless or not.

III

"My childhood?" John chuckled darkly. "You've got to be kidding me. I didn't come here for clichés."

"Neither did I, Mr. Sheppard," the woman stared back at him, folding her hands across the desk. "But here you are – a tough, former Air Force pilot refusing to help himself – you're being rather hypocritical about originality."

His jaw dropped but he shut it quickly. There would be no messing around with this quack – she could anticipate his every retort with an even better one. Heightmeyer he could handle – this one was different.

John sighed. "Look…um…"

"Dr. Deveaux," she finished for him.

"The only reason I'm here is because people I respect and care about sent me here – they think I need help."

"Do you think you need help?"

Sheppard narrowed his eyes. "I think they should all mind their own damn business."

"Yet you're here," Deveaux rested her chin in her hand. "Why is that?"

"I just told you!" he said in frustration. "Because I respect and care –

"If you respect and care about them, shouldn't that mean you should respect their opinions and believe they are doing what is best?"

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?" she asked innocently, her brown eyes widening in mock confusion.

"Using my own words against me," he crossed his arms and leaned back against the couch.

She surveyed his stance. "Are you feeling insecure? Attacked, perhaps?"

"Why would you think that?" he rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"Well," she glanced at his arms. "You're crossing your arms – a universal sign of defense – I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, Mr. Sheppard, this is my profession."

He unlinked his arms and leaned forward. "I'm done here."

Sheppard stood up to leave but just as he grabbed a hold of the door knob, Deveaux spoke again. "Have you come to terms with Teyla's death yet?"

The ex-colonel froze and closed his eyes as he spoke through his teeth. "How did you know about that?"

"I specialize in classified personnel," she explained, "I read your file that Dr. Keller wrote up. Apparently, she believes you're suffering from a simple case of denial with your friend's death as well as some abandonment issues…"

"She's not dead." John couldn't count how many times he had spoken those words.

"You were a seasoned Air Force officer – you've lost plenty of comrades in your time with the military – why did this one push you over the edge?"

"Teyla's different," he relented, astonished at himself for opening up to this woman. "Besides – I've already lost so many; I don't think I could handle losing another."

"Lieutenant Aiden Ford for example."

Sheppard winced. She hit him below the belt.

"That wasn't my fault," he defended himself.

"No," she agreed, "how about Elizabeth Weir?"

John clenched his jaw so tight he could have sworn he heard popping. "I did what I had to –

"So you killed her?"

"I didn't kill her!" he yelled, spinning around to face her. She was staring right back at him, her expression unreadable. "I did what I thought was best for the people I was responsible for! Elizabeth understood!"

"Did she? Or are you only kidding yourself?"

He clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling more furious than he had since the day they'd booted all the expedition members out of Atlantis without so much as an eviction notice. "I thought you were supposed to _help_me –

"I can only help you if you help yourself," the woman interrupted, looking into his eyes pointedly. "And right now, you are so stuck on beating yourself up over every individual person you've ever lost that you can't even begin to heal from this loss –

"She's not –

"And therefore creating a delusional fantasy in which you believe Teyla Emmagen is still alive."

"I'm not delusional," he growled. "You and everyone else just don't believe me."

"I believe that you believe she's still alive, Sheppard," she narrowed her eyes and stood. "But that doesn't do you or anyone else, especially your friends, any good. They've all tried to move on, but you are so stuck in the past that you can't see past your own selfish needs. You have a drinking problem, you've secluded yourself from all of society save for a weekly chess game, and I've even been told that you've even punched your brother no more than two months ago."

"He sued me for it."

"He was probably trying to give you a wake up call."

"No," John corrected. "It's probably because he's a greedy, egotistical bastard."

Deveaux sighed and crossed her arms, looking at him dubiously. "I won't give up on you. But you need to be able to be willing to change."

"If by change you mean accept that my friend, who may possibly be still out there, needing our help, then I'm afraid you're going to have to find yourself a new hobby."

With that, he stormed out of the office, not failing to slam the door behind him.

III

"This is weird."

"You have iterated that same statement many times over."

Ronon looked at him in disbelief. "Two men living in the same apartment – It's just weird."

"Quite the contrary," Teal'c corrected. "If we wish to live outside of the designated area at the SGC, we must live together."

"Stop saying it like that," Ronon wrinkled his brow. "I'd be fine on my own."

Teal'c raised a brow. "I have attempted such a feat before. It did not go well."

Ronon failed at hiding his amused expression. "Did you kill someone?"

"Not directly, no," the Jaffa replied. "But I was hunted down by an agency bent on using people like you and I for morally gray experimentation."

Dex stood and smiled. "I say let them try."

"We have made this deal for our own safety," Teal'c told him, avoiding the subject in hopes that the Satedan would drop it.

He laughed darkly and then threw his fist at the wall, denting the plaster. "Like I believe that. They just don't want us trying to get to the Stargate and they don't want to have to put security cameras in two different places, so..." he nodded towards the attempted inconspicuous cameras bolted over every doorway.

The Jaffa looked at the ruined wall and then at Ronon, who shrugged. "I can't stay on one planet for too long. It makes me anxious."

"That would be expected from one with a background such as yourself."

"I need to go see Sheppard," Dex changed the subject, looking out the window of the living area. "He's going nuts."

"O'Neill has informed me that he went to see someone who specializes in such characters."

"A psychologist, right? Yeah, he told me that too. I'll bet he didn't go."

"That would be most unwise of him."

"Sheppard doesn't need a shrink," the Satedan defended his friend. "He just needs to get his old life back."


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Thanks for all the reviews, guys! It really motivates me. I hope you enjoy!_

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><p>She wiped her forehead clean of perspiration and adjusted her position in the dirt against the stone wall – but it did little to ease her discomfort. The cries of her son had no longer been heard and she didn't know whether that was something to rejoice in or to mourn.<p>

Even the sounds of the usual guard had been silent. His footsteps had disappeared along with her son's cries.

And soon the silence created panic within her.

"Hello!" she called weakly, hoping her voice would carry somewhere.

She heard it echo down the halls – concluding that it was all empty as it sounded.

The panic seemed to grip her even more ferociously as her breathing became erratic. Did they take her son and leave her? Did they abandon her just to die in a cell? Alone?

"Hello!" she screamed this time, tears forming anew in her eyes.

"Save your energy, Teyla," a voice nearby said.

She turned to see him sitting across from her cell, his head leaned back and his arms hanging casually over his knees. His face looked battered but his clothes looked clean. "You're…not real," she said, panting for air.

"Does it really matter?" he asked.

"I'm alone," she groaned, but she couldn't even tell if she was directing that statement to her delusion or herself.

"I'm here."

"You're not real," she repeated. "I'm alone."

"Not for long," he seemed to be promising. "I'll come for you. I swear."

She shook her head. "My son – he's gone – Torren is gone."

"He's alive," he assured.

She stared at him and bit her lip. "Why are you here?"

"To keep you company," John smiled.

Before she could respond, she finally heard footsteps. But whether or not they were of her imagination could not be determined.

III

"Don't even think about it," she admonished and snatched his cell phone from his hand.

He made a cry of protest and reached for it. But she held it high above his head, resulting in him standing up to reach it.

Before he could make another grab for it, she held it behind her back and placed a hand on his chest. "Rodney, let it go," she said seriously.

He dropped his hands to his sides and gave her a scowl. "You have no idea who I was calling."

"You're not that hard to read," she smirked.

"Jennifer…" he groaned.

"You've been working on this project for over a year now, I think you're forgetting about a more important project."

"I picked out the center pieces!" he defended himself.

She made a face. "Yeah, you didn't do a very good job with that. I changed the order."

"What?"

Keller sighed and sat at the table, setting the phone next to her.

He sat across from her. "Look, I know you are tired of me being so intent on this but you have to understand; this is important."

"I guess Sheppard's not the only one that hasn't moved on," she mumbled and crossed her arms.

"_I__'__m_not in denial. But I do think we need to activate the Stargate again."

"What's your wild theory this time? Something about Atlantis again?"

McKay grimaced sheepishly. "Okay, so that one really didn't go anywhere, I'll admit. But this one is unfailing!"

"Rodney," she reached across the table to grasp his hand. "You have a wonderful job teaching at the university, I love working at the hospital, we have a beautiful house and our wedding is less than two weeks away – why would you want to go and change our lives from perfection?"

"Jennifer, this has nothing to do with our lives not being good enough," he protested. "But sometimes there are things out there bigger than us."

She withdrew her hand and walked away quietly into the next room.

McKay buried his face in his hands. Just as he was about to haul himself to his feet and go beg for mercy at hers, the phone on the table vibrated.

Staring at it for about a minute, Rodney tried to figure out whether or not he was imagining this. That phone had not been paged in almost a year.

Reaching across, he tentatively picked it up. The number looked familiar but the scientist couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

"Hello?" he nearly whispered into the receiver.

_"__McKay?__"_ a gruff voice responded. _"__Is __that __you?__"_

"Ronon?"

In the background, he could hear Ronon ask someone 'how to work this thing'. A couple moments later, he was back. _"__You __still __there?__"_

McKay nodded but then remembered he couldn't see him and replied with a hurried "yeah". Standing up, he looked around for Jennifer but she was nowhere to be seen. "How did you get a phone?"

_"__It__'__s__Teal__'__c__'__s,__"_ Ronon said. _"__I __need __to __talk __to __you.__"_

Rodney couldn't hold back the chortle. "Really? Well, that's a first."

_"__This __is __serious, __McKay!__" _the Satedan growled on the other end and the scientist suddenly realized how much he missed being yelled at by the Runner.

"Sorry," he stammered. "Go ahead."

_"__I __think __Sheppard__'__s __in __trouble.__"_

III

**Earlier**

John's daily trip to the liquor store had become more of a ritual than a habit.

Not only did it quell a much needed craving for fuel and relaxation, it was also the only place in town where there was some true quiet.

He often did a lot of his thinking there before grabbing a six pack.

The shop was usually fairly empty except for him – he liked to make the jaunts late at night, to avoid as many people as possible. However, tonight was different. There was another man there – he was around his age, maybe older, had a graying beard and his trench coat was tattered and torn. His eyes were shifty and he kept running his finger under his nose like a nervous twitch.

_Druggy,_Sheppard thought, casting the man a half-friendly smile.

The bum ignored him and continued shuffling around and wiping his digits under his nose.

_Or__maybe__this__whole__town__is__just__naturally__cracked._

He went to pay for his purchase, greeting the cashier with a muttered "good evening". When he looked up to pay the cash, the other man's eyes were wide and he was holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

John's heart skipped a beat and he soon felt the barrel of the gun press on his back.

"I'll take that," a heavy Australian accent commanded. "Turn around..._slowly_."

His hands went up and he gradually turned around, facing the man he formerly believed to be a harmless addict.

The psycho's face was twisted into a weird expression of cruelty mixed with fear. He looked as though he could easily put a bullet through both Sheppard and the cashier without missing a wink of sleep - but his hands betrayed him – they were shaky and the revolver looked close to falling to the floor.

"Now!" the man snapped his fingers and extended his free palm towards him, looking hungrily at the cash.

"Okay, just…calm down," John nodded and slowly moved the dollar bills down towards his hand, eyeing the gun at the same time.

"I haven't got all day," he shouted impatiently. "Hand it over, or I'll take it over your dead carcass."

Sheppard slapped the money into his hand and grabbed for the gun. But his slow day of drinking and sleeping had affected his reflexes and the man moved quickly out of the way, causing the former colonel to fall face down onto the floor.

He heard a shot go off and looked up just in time to see the cashier fall with a bloody hole in his head.

The bum glared at him and kicked him in the face. John could hear the cartilage in his nose crack and he instinctively raised his hands to the injured area.

The man reached across the counter to grab a handful of the bills from the already opened cash register before turning to Sheppard once more. "Looks like it's your lucky day mate," he said as he reeled his arm back with the gun.

Then everything went black.

III

Instinctively, she had backed into the far corner of her cell, wrapping her arms around her legs as she waited.

The lock unhinged quickly and she watched the shadows through the crack at the bottom of the door.

It opened and the light met her unadjusted eyes without mercy and she covered them with her hands.

"Teyla," a voice called. It sounded so familiar, so friendly. But she couldn't place it. Perhaps she had slipped into unconsciousness again and was becoming more delusional from the lack of food over the past few days.

But then she felt two hands on her shoulders. "Teyla, look at me. Are you all right?"

Slowly, she uncovered her eyes, revealing a face so strikingly heart-wrenching she could never forget it.

Sucking in a deep breath she breathed out his name. "Aiden?"


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Alright, so this chapter will be a little shorter than the others and it's mostly just bridging. I hope you'll bear with me on that._

_Also, those who followed _Remember _I'm sorry to say but it's taking a hiatus until further notice. It seems that _Checkmate_ deserves more of my time at the moment._

_Lastly, some have voiced disagreement on Sheppard's reaction to Teyla's death by his alcohol addiction. All I can say is that he's dealing with a lot more than the loss of Teyla - he's also lost the life he's lived for the past five, six years - and resigning from the military can also be difficult, especially when you don't seem to have many skills in other areas. _

_My point is - John is depressed and this was the way I believe he would deal with it, albeit terribly and at great risk to his health. _

* * *

><p>The knock on the door made both of the men nearly jump. They stared at each other from across the table, daring the other to answer it.<p>

Ronon watched his opposition with amusement and remained seated stubbornly.

Teal'c, ever the peace-maker and rational man, stood and walked towards the door.

"Who are you?" he called through the door.

"A friend," a female voice called back. "I've come to make you an offer – both of you."

"We are uninterested in any items you might be selling," Teal'c replied after a pause. "Thank you and have a nice day."

Ronon rolled his eyes and stood up. The Jaffa's robotic manners were starting to grate on his nerves.

The woman on the other side seemed to be laughing as she spoke again, "I'm not selling anything, Teal'c and Ronon, but if you don't open the door, I can break it down."

The two looked at each other in shock. How could anyone know they were there? The only people who knew where they resided were at Stargate Command – and no one from there would deliver such a threat.

Ronon, knowing that if need be, they could both easily tackle a single female, even if she was armed, nodded and shrugged at Teal'c to open the door.

The Jaffa slowly opened the door and stepped back.

They both stared at the small-framed woman looking back at them with a tight smile and a mischievous look in her eyes.

She had short, spiky and unnaturally platinum blonde hair that contrasted greatly against her business suit. Pulling her blazer up slightly past her hip, she revealed the weapon latched into her holster and cast them both a sneer before inviting herself in.

The Satedan was still undeterred and merely glared at her in annoyance, however grateful he was for the change of pace in the day. "Who are you?" he repeated Teal'c's question.

She was taking a tour about the apartment, casually peering around corners and looking behind potted plants for cameras. "Nicole Kent. But you can call me Nikki."

"Ms. Kent," Teal'c started. "You have no permission to be within our living quarters. I suggest you leave before we inform the local police department."

Nicole turned and shrugged. "Go ahead, but as you may have guessed, I'm not alone. They've probably already been watching you."

"Who is?" Ronon grunted, gradually beginning to become uneasy.

She caught sight of the camera in the corner. "Aha!" she muttered gleefully and gracefully pulled herself up onto the kitchen counter.

As she rose to pull the wire from the camera out of the wall, she continued talking. "Don't worry, all the James Bond stuff is just for show. We just needed to make sure you guys heard us out before dismissing us entirely…"

"I'll save you the time," the Satedan growled, standing by the opened door, indicating with his hand. "We're not interested."

Nicole's playful expression quickly turned solemn. "I think you are. Are you gentlemen acquainted with a man by the name of John Sheppard?"

Ronon shrugged and shook his head. "Never heard of him."

"You served under his command for nearly four years," she stated confidently, directing her attention towards the Runner. She cocked her head at Teal'c, "and I think you know who I'm talking about as well."

"For what reason would you bring up this man?" the Jaffa asked.

"He's in trouble," she said.

"What are you talking about?" Ronon asked gruffly. "How could Sheppard be in any trouble? He hasn't moved from his couch since he resigned."

The woman's smug smile showed that she was glad for that question and promptly pulled out a rather unflattering picture of the ex-colonel in handcuffs being led by the local law enforcement.

III

"So tell me again your version of the events?"

The provoking question made Sheppard want to spit. The same poking little weasel was sitting across from him, a confident smirk plastered on his face. Meanwhile his head was pounding and his nose hurt like hell.

"I already told you what happened!" John snapped, unconsciously pulling against the restraints that held his handcuffs in place on the table.

The interrogator's eyes shifted towards them and he cocked an eyebrow. "Tell me one more time – we need it for the records."

_No,__you__need__it__so__you__can__tag__me__as__a__homicidal__maniac__and__win__some__sort__of__bet__with__your__donut-inhaling__buddies!_

Instead of being a smartass, he decided to play along and inhaled a deep breath through his nose before relating what had happened once again. "I told you, I was at the store when it was robbed – the man shot the cashier and then knocked me out. The next thing I know, I'm on the floor, holding the gun and you and your goons are standing over me."

"Can you describe the man for me?"

"Scruffy, dirty and had an Australian accent," John replied as detailed as he could.

The interrogator nodded solemnly. "I think you'll understand me when I say that your story is difficult to believe."

Sheppard resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "If I was the one, why would I be out cold with a bruise on the back of my head and a broken nose? If you had all done your job you would have noticed that the wound would be consistent with blunt force trauma."

"We looked at your bruise, Mr. Sheppard," he replied steadily. "But we also took those blood and urine samples. Tell me, John, have you been drinking excessively lately?"

"Yes. And the first thing I do when I'm drunk is knock myself out with a gun."

The man stood and pushed his chair back towards the table. "Your attitude isn't helping things. For all intents and purposes, you seem like the kind of man who would rob and kill in cold blood – I'm pretty sure that doesn't help your case."

John grimaced and looked down. He snapped his head back up just as the interrogator was leaving the room. "Wait! Don't I get a lawyer? One phone call?"

His question was answered with a sour look just before the door closed and he was once again left in the dark, staring at the mirror where, he knew, behind sat those donut-inhaling buddies intent on slapping him with the death penalty.

III

She was too dizzy to walk straight and Aiden, if that indeed was him, was a strong shoulder to lean on.

He constantly handed her his water canteen which looked to her, even in her delirious state, like military issue from Earth. He also happened to have some sort of crackers stashed in his pack and hand fed them to her as they stumbled quickly through the hallway.

"When was the last time you had something to eat?" he asked her, his voice thick with worry but she could also detect anger.

She shook her head weakly. "I don't…" she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"It's okay," he assured, still dragging her forward. "We'll get you safe."

"My baby…" she managed to breathe out before she fell to the ground out of his arms, unconscious.

III

One thing John would never be ungrateful of the military for was its high connections.

Visitors for a murderer? It just wasn't done. But a few phone calls and a flashing of badges and the next thing he knew he was seated across the long table from Jack O'Neill, who stared at the former colonel handcuffed to the table and donned in an unflattering neon orange jumpsuit.

"So…" Jack finally broke the ice after a brief awkward silence. "How's prison treating you?"

Sheppard had to force the urge down to give the ex-general a dirty look and a biting sarcastic remark. Instead, he settled for a still sarcastic but less biting "the service here is great".

"John," O'Neill sighed and slapped his hands to his own thighs, "this doesn't look good."

"I didn't do it," John replied quickly. "I can't prove it but I didn't do it."

"Your fingerprints are all over that goddamn weapon!" Jack nearly shouted. "Your alcohol levels were off the chart! No wonder you passed out!"

"I didn't pass out! I was knocked out."

The ex-general seemed to settle as he rubbed his face as though he were overtired. "Even if that were true, your past behavior over the last few months is not good evidence that you aren't the sort of man to do this…"

"Jack," Sheppard interrupted, finally using the name the man had asked him to refer to him by, "you know me. Would I shoot an innocent man for money?"

O'Neill took in a deep breath and shook his head. "No you wouldn't. But how can my word go against the evidence and the handcuff-happy cops out there? They need a suspect and you're it."

John realized he was right. No matter what anyone did, he wouldn't be subjected to a fair trial in this small of a town – he was known as the local drunk and grouch. The jury would, with his luck, consist of all the people he'd snapped at in his late-night hours of drunken stupor.

"But I wasn't sent here to hear your side of the story," the ex-general held up a hand. "I was requested as a sort of…alias from the Air Force."

Sheppard raised a brow. What would the Air Force want to do with him after all this?

"They're willing to release you on parole in their custody for a mission, if you're willing. And, perhaps you'll receive a glowing statement from them at your trial. Might win you brownie points…"

"I don't want anything to do with the Air Force - not after that."

Jack's eyebrows went up and he held out his hands in a helpless gesture as he stood. "Fine, be stubborn, John. But let me tell you, if you're going to just take this lying down then no, I don't know you at all. The least you can do is say you tried your hardest to prove that you're not the sort of man who would do this. That's what the John Sheppard I know would do."

As he walked away, John could literally feel the opportunity to get out of this hellhole, even for a little while, slip through his fingers and he called out.

"Wait…"

O'Neill turned and Sheppard wondered what he was thinking. He had a bone to pick with the Air Force - in fact; he had a bone to pick with just about anyone with any authority who had refused to help him – no, Teyla – when needed. But would it be wrong to take advantage of their offer? To take a little vacation and forget, even for a moment, about this kind of situation he was in?

"How long will the parole be?"


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Hello faithful readers! _

_This chapter is going to be a little - well, actually, a LOT - longer than the others just because I didn't like how it was ending right in the middle. But hopefully I won't get too many complaints about that ;)_

_Just a side-note: Still several complaints about how Sheppard is handling himself (some have resorted to quite unnecessarily rude private messaging) but this is how I interpret Sheppard and how I interpret his ability to do anything about the situation. Basically, Sheppard is only about fifty percent sure Teyla is still alive though he thinks he believes 100% - therefore he isn't going crazy - he's just in denial. Also, there's not much you can do when the military has a base on lock-down._

_I hope that cleared it up for my more, er, aggressive readers? If not, oh well, it's my story._

_To the rest of you, I appreciate your imagination._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>"Sheppard wouldn't do that," Ronon growled at the woman, who still seemed unfazed despite her being in the same room as two large unhappy aliens.<p>

She shrugged. "Whether he did or not is none of our business. But we do know that the Air Force is using his helplessness as an opportunity to snag him out of the trap and dangle the parole bait in his face."

Ronon looked at Teal'c, who appeared equally as confused.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "They want to get him out on parole to do a job for them – and now that he's had a taste of prison, they know he'll do anything to get out of it."

The Satedan snorted. "Well, good luck with that. Sheppard's had beef with the Air Force for years."

"And why is that?" Nikki said aloud with mock wonder. "Perhaps because he lost his dear, true friend whom he probably had more feelings for than he cared to admit, and no one would help rescue her?"

Dex felt the growl begin in his chest as he stepped forward, but Teal'c's strong arm kept him back. Nicole's maddening, fearless smile from the couch made his blood boil even more.

Finally, she sighed. "Look, I'm not here to swap sob stories about former boss's slip-ups, but I am here to offer you both a job."

"We are currently not seeking employment," Teal'c informed.

Nicole smiled. "That's good, because employment is seeking you. Now, more than likely, the Air Force is going to approach you about this gig too. They're going to want the best in the business on this mission. We just want to tag on a little extra assignment for you – for which you'll be greatly compensated. A life of your own perhaps? An apartment without cameras? Without people watching your every move?"

Ronon watched her carefully. "What do you mean?"

Clearly proud of herself that she had captured his curiosity, she walked past them to the door. "The Air Force will brief you on the mission and when they do, we'll meet again and talk about this assignment – perhaps over a cup of coffee or something more pleasant than…this." She gave the apartment a derogatory one-over before smiling briefly and exiting through the door, shutting it behind her.

III

**Present**

"Well, what kind of trouble? DUI trouble? Loan-shark trouble?" McKay hated how Ronon was slow to divulge information – whether he intended to or not, it created unnecessary suspense.

He watched as the Satedan shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He had demanded that they talk about this at their apartment rather than the phone but they weren't getting anywhere any faster. "I don't know what that is but no."

"Well?" Rodney demanded. "What is it? Spit it out!"

His friend looked to Teal'c, unsure before turning back, crossing his arms across his broad chest. "Sheppard's been accused of murder."

Dr. McKay stared at him. "If this is another one of your stupid jokes –

"Do I _look_ like I'm kidding, McKay?" Ronon demanded, seething with fury.

Rodney instinctively looked away. "No. No you do not."

"The Air Force got him out on parole but they can't take away his charges. Apparently, he looks pretty guilty but I want to hear his side of the story."

"Wait, how do _you_ know all of this and I don't? I'm his best friend, I should have heard about it before you two shut-ins…" He wasn't able to stop himself in time but the men didn't seem bothered by the insult.

"A woman by the name of Nicole visited us and informed us of this occurrence," Teal'c supplied. "She has also suggested that the Air Force will likely attempt to recruit our services as well – I assume that means you are included."

"This woman," McKay stammered, suddenly feeling the hairs on his arm stand up. "Was she from the SGC?"

Ronon turned and Rodney followed his gaze to the security camera in the corner with the wire ripped out of the wall socket. "I don't think so," the Satedan said in a low tone.

"Why would she tell you all of this then? That information has to be classified or –

"She wants to hire us to do something else while on that mission," Dex shrugged.

Dr. McKay gulped. "Could that 'something' be categorized in the morally gray area?"

"I suggest you leave now," Teal'c cut in. "Specialists will arrive soon to investigate the damaged security devices."

Rodney left rather quickly, dubious and shaken up about what his friend had told him.

The cold wind whipped through the streets and he pulled his jacket tighter around him.

"Lovely day isn't it?"

McKay turned to see a small blonde woman wearing sunglasses despite the lack of sun, strolling casually in stride with him.

He stopped. "Alright, I don't want to hear it. Whatever job you're offering, I decline. I would never betray the SGC no matter how bad they've messed up in the past."

She chuckled and adjusted her glasses. "Why are you accusing me of offering you a job?"

His heart skipped a beat. Had he jumped to conclusions simply because of his paranoia again? "Well, strange, beautiful women don't just talk to me out of the blue normally. Plus, you're wearing sunglasses in February." He felt like he was justified in his assumptions now.

She laughed again and this time took off her sunglasses, "very good deduction skills, Dr. McKay. Perhaps we _can_ use you."

"You mean I was right?"

"Oh no, I wasn't here to offer you a job. I was here to make sure you didn't blab what those two surely blabbed to you."

Rodney could feel the sweat form at his brow, even in the 30 degree weather. "You mean…?"

"Kill you, yes," she flashed a smile that would have normally been interpreted as friendly, but in this situation, it was just plain creepy. "It's part of my job description - nothing personal."

"But now…?"

"I changed my mind."

"Because I…?"

"To be honest, I'd been thinking about it for awhile," she sighed. "I think you would be a good addition to the team – you're smart and from the reports I've read, you've saved your comrades from dozens of situations just by using your brain."

In any other instance, the scientist would have puffed up with pride but he was far too intimidated by this woman to show any kind of emotion or reaction.

"So what do you say?" she prodded. "Your friends and I will be meeting later for lunch. I think you should join us."

"When?" he found himself asking.

The woman shrugged. "Whenever the Air Force decides to extend their invitation and brief you – then we can debrief."

"If you don't mind me asking, why would I want to help you - other than the threat of you killing me in cold-blood if I don't?"

She smiled again. "I guess you don't know what we're all about, Dr. McKay. You see, we'd like to bring these programs to light. The only reason we haven't already done so is because we are being watched like hawks by your little friends up in the SGC. Once we find some solid evidence though, we'll be able disclose it to the media and allow them to come to their own conclusions."

Feeling more confident, Rodney rolled his eyes. "And why would I want to help you do that? If the world knew about anything top-secret, there would be riots in the streets and constant panic."

"Not necessarily," she disagreed. "We think the government underestimates the maturity and intelligence of the rest of the world. Perhaps we would embrace it and even help in the efforts of Home-world Security. And you, Meredith Rodney McKay, would become one of the most applauded scientists in history. Your works would finally be known by the public and you'd be a hero. Imagine, kids ten years in the future, reading about _you_ in their history books."

McKay would have been lying if he said that this mysterious woman's offer didn't sound convincing and enticing. But he still felt like something was wrong so he off-handedly made a neutral remark about whether or not he would.

The woman then told him that she would have Ronon call him again when they set up an appointment. Then she left her name and number.

Nicole. The same woman Ronon told him about - the same woman who had ripped out the cameras in the apartment.

Was this something he really wanted to become involved in?

III

Sheppard watched in amazement as Rodney McKay did his best to avoid eye contact. But with John's constant staring, there wasn't much hope for the scientist.

"Would you stop it?" Dr. McKay finally implored.

"You think I did it, don't you?" the ex-colonel narrowed his eyes. "You think I –

Rodney held up his hand. "No, I don't. It's just…this is a little nerve-racking for me. Not everything is about you."

His words stung but Sheppard couldn't help but acknowledge what his friend was saying. He had been a little self-centered lately. In fact, he hadn't even asked about the wedding. When he did however, he received only a half-hearted mumble about how it was postponed until further notice since this mission came up.

Ronon had always been a strong but silent presence, but the lack of conversation with the Satedan was deafening to John. Teal'c was no better, though the two had never really had a chance to talk much in the past anyway.

Though McKay was the worst, Mr. Woolsey had to come in at a close second. His disapproving glances was enough to make Sheppard most uncomfortable. Even back when he reported to this man, he hadn't felt this nervous around him.

Colonel Carter entered the room not long after the last guest had entered and she took her place up front alongside the "retired" Jack O'Neill. They exchanged a brief friendly greeting but it looked stiff and dissonant. The rumors of the two were still floating around but never taken under serious advisement. John personally didn't care but the robotic way they acted towards each other in public might as well have been a bright blinking neon sign that read "Relationship Against Regulations Here!"

The ex-colonel took a brief look around the room at all who were attending: McKay, Ronon, Teal'c, Woolsey, Dr. Keller, and a few new lieutenants he hadn't seen before. There was a sudden, sharp pain of nostalgia as Sheppard remembered the meetings in Atlantis. The only thing different seemed to be Teyla's absence. Forcing his thoughts of her away, he refocused his attention on Colonel Carter who seemed to have already started.

"…were told the Stargate Program had been shut down until further notice. Technically, you weren't lied to. No teams have been outside the gate since the last mission by Sheppard and his team."

John noticed how she hadn't used his rank in her sentence and he had to remind himself once again that he was simply an observer and inside advisor to whatever mission they would be on. He wouldn't have a say in anything.

"However, we have been keeping in touch with our former contacts on other worlds," she paused, "including New Athos."

Sheppard closed his eyes as he remembered the last time he had been on that planet – it also happened to be the last time he saw Teyla.

_"What exactly is a Binding Celebration?" Colonel Sheppard asked warily as they followed the woman through the forests. _

_ "It is the Athosian version of what you would call a "bachelor or bachelorette party", only for both the bride and the groom simultaneously," Teyla explained expertly. "Usually outsiders are not welcome since it is such a sacred festival celebrated by the nearest of kin. But since Jinto had heard that we would not be back for quite some time, he had decided to bend the rules in his favor. Granted, some of the elders may not be very friendly regarding this."_

_ "As long as I don't have to dance for my food," McKay muttered warily._

_ "As long as I don't have to see that," Ronon quipped. _

_ Teyla looked back to smile at him. "If anyone is to be expected to dance, it would be Colonel Sheppard since he is our leader."_

_ John's head snapped up. "What?" _

_ She laughed._

_They had all determined to make this mission eventful and memorable but what they didn't know was that it would be both, but in no way in a positive connotation. _

"Recently, New Athos has reported what seemed to be a reoccurring nightmare for them – a thief with a gang of about four or five. Apparently, each man seemed to have the strength of ten. They would plunder whichever village they landed nearest, took what they wanted and left, only to return about a month later to do the same thing to another village."

"How long has this been going on?" Woolsey asked gravely.

"About a year now," Carter replied. "But they only reported it to us after the last raid, which was about four months ago. They hadn't thought much of it except for a typical thievery – especially since the men didn't seem to be violent unless they were challenged. They never hurt anyone if they didn't need to and left quietly."

"Who cares?" McKay suddenly blurted and Sheppard had to hide his smirk with a casual hand wipe across his mouth.

"I beg your pardon?" the colonel gave him a look of disbelief and John half-expected her to put her hands on her hips and shake her finger at him.

The scientist suddenly seemed to have grasped what his comment had appeared as to the rest of the audience and he awkwardly backpedaled. "Well, I mean, we care of course, it's not that – well, what I meant was that why would the Stargate Program be started up just to stop a super-powered thief. I mean, if he's no real threat except for stealing…?"

"I'm going to correct you on two things, McKay," O'Neill hopped in as he stuck out his index finger. "One, we are not starting up the Stargate Program again. The IOA has their heads too far up their asses for that to happen, no offense," he turned to a group of men and women in suits seated in the corner. They simply cleared their throats and shifted in their seats. He held out two fingers, "and second, he is _not_ just a super-powered thief."

Samantha Carter nodded and drew up a picture on the screen. "We had let the Athosians borrow a standard digital camera for awhile and one of them was able to capture this shot. We believe it's the picture of the leader."

The photo was fuzzy but it revealed a few details – one was that the man had an eye patch on the left side of his face, a striking resemblance to a former team member.

"I don't believe it," Rodney said.

Colonel Carter nodded in his direction. "As far as we can tell, the leader of this group of bandits appears to be ex-Lieutenant Aiden Ford."

"I'm sorry," Woolsey interrupted, placing his hands on the table before him, "did I read the report wrong or wasn't this man on board a Wraith ship when it exploded?"

"There were several empty Wraith darts at his disposal," Sheppard replied before he could stop himself, "and my report only said that that was the last place I saw him. I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to snag one of those before the explosion."

"You didn't care to tag that on to your report," Richard said with a twinge of resentment in his voice.

John narrowed his eyes. "I was told we weren't supposed to put personal opinions or assumptions in those."

"And you always follow orders."

"Gentlemen," Carter had to step in – for which Sheppard was grateful, but he didn't break his glaring contest until the other man looked away, "if we could move on, please?"

"Go ahead, Colonel, I'm sorry," Mr. Woolsey said solemnly.

"As I was saying, I think it's safe to assume Aiden Ford is our man, but this also isn't just a recon mission. These bandits are collecting odd items from these villages – resources, as in food supplies, medicines and technology. They haven't stolen any weapons or anything of much value."

"So what? We have a case of a crazed Robin Hood and his Merry Men?" Dr. McKay interjected. "What are we supposed to do about it?"

The colonel bit her lip and John could see her patience draining with the scientist. "I don't think this case is comparable to Robin Hood, McKay. They don't seem to be stealing from the rich or giving to the poor. However, they do seem to simply disappear into thin air. They round a corner or walk into the forest and suddenly, they're gone. They arrive the same way."

"So no one has seen them leave?" Sheppard wondered aloud. Why couldn't he shut the hell up? _Old habits die hard_, he thought listlessly.

She shook her head. "Not yet." Turning towards the IOA, her true audience, she went on. "What we're hoping to be able to do is construct an undercover team and send them to New Athos. Hopefully, in time, the bandits will show up in one of the various villages the teams will be spread out in. When they do, we're hoping to be able to learn more about what it is these men really want."

A dark-haired woman stood and John recognized her from one of the numerous IOAs who traveled to Atlantis during its dark ages. "Colonel Carter, you have yet to convince us that resources should be expended for this mission. Yes, the idea of thievery is very saddening, especially among our friends on New Athos but that's hardly an incentive to risk any more lives! May I remind you that on that exact planet, someone very vital to Mr. Sheppard's team disappeared?"

John stood as well and pointed a finger at the woman. "First of all, _don't_ call me Mr. Sheppard. That's my father. Secondly, Teyla was more than vital, she was extremely important to me and all of my team. Don't you think I wouldn't be here if I didn't think it was a good idea to go ahead with this?"

"Frankly, _Mr._ Sheppard, I think you would do anything to postpone your inevitable execution," she shot back.

Before he could advance further, Ronon placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not worth it," his low voice mumbled in his ear.

Sheppard reluctantly settled and tried to cool himself off.

There was an awkward silence until Colonel Carter sought to answer the woman's question. "It's a valid point but it's not just a case of a run of the mill thievery. It's one of our own that is leading the gang of bandits. It was our mistake to let him escape under the influence of the Wraith enzyme and we need to take responsibility for that by taking care of the problem."

O'Neill stepped in. "Question time is over. The bottom line is, we're doing this mission no matter what the IOA says – I think it says that in the constitution or something.

"Anyway, any other questions you have to ask you'll have to ask your leader of the mission once you have your team together. She'll answer any and all questions without having to bore us with the answers."

"Wait – 'she'?" McKay cut in. "I thought you were leading the mission, General."

"I'm _retired_, Dr. McKay," Jack replied. "I'm here as an honorary liaison – not a general. Your leader of this mission will be Colonel Carter."


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Hello all._

_I know there was quite a gap between this chapter and the last, the reason being just slight nervousness. The messages I talked about in the last AN were getting to me, I think, and I was beginning to wonder whether or not I should finish this story._

_But then I thought about it (and received an encouraging private message from someone) and realized that it doesn't matter, really and that most of you really do genuinely enjoy my story. So I decided to keep going for those peoples' sake. _

_I hope you guys enjoy these next few chapters!_

_(P.S. for those asking me/wondering if these aggravating people are you, they're probably not. Only the people that have messaged me with rude statements [not anywhere near resembling friendly criticism] are the ones I'm talking about. Others that have reviewed kindly, you are not one of those people and please continue to review and read. So if you have to wonder if you're one of those people, then you're probably not.]_

* * *

><p>"I thought Teal'c was coming," John remarked as Ronon and he traveled down the hallways – the 'parole officers' not too far behind.<p>

The Satedan shrugged and furrowed his brow. "He turned it down."

"Why?"

"Said something about it being cursed or whatever," he responded.

"Teal'c wouldn't say that," Sheppard clicked dubiously. "He doesn't believe in superstition."

"I've lived with the guy for awhile – he's gotten weird, trust me."

Sheppard gave him an odd look. As much as the man barely spoke, he knew when his friend was lying.

III

Teyla waited with Aiden's men behind the complex, she had regained more of her strength and mind but she still felt weak. But one thing kept her going – her son.

Aiden had promised to find Torren after he got her safely out of the building. She was surprised to find no opposition from anyone in the process. She had never seen her kidnappers but she knew they existed – where were they and when had they left?

Suddenly, one of the men Teyla that sat closest to jumped up when his radio crackled. Aiden's voice rang clearly on the other end.

_"Go, go! I have the baby but I'm coming in hot!"_

As they hurried to obey, Teyla couldn't help but notice how Ford still used the same vocabulary as Colonel Sheppard and the rest had back on Atlantis. This relieved her slightly, for it meant that he had not completely abandoned his past self.

All of the men stopped in a circle in a field a ways away from the building. Before she could demand that they keep running, she turned to see Aiden running towards them, holding Torren in the crook of his arm.

Far behind him, she could see his pursuers. He thrust the child into her arms when he arrived and gripped her arm. Then she watched as he and the rest of the men tapped something on their neck and suddenly they were in another place.

III

Ronon stared at the waitress. "What did you just call me?"

The woman looked flustered as she tried to repeat herself. "No, sir, I asked if you would like to try our new caramel frappuccino?"

He turned to his friends. McKay wasn't paying attention – he was biting his nails and looking out the window.

"I happen to find all of their caffeinated beverages distasteful," Teal'c stated plainly. "I don't believe you would like it."

"Is it like coffee?"

The waitress was now even more confused. "It _is_ coffee."

Ronon remembered Teyla's last celebrated birthday on Atlantis – Sheppard had brought in specially requested coffee, certain that she would adore her birthday present.

Unfortunately for him, the brown liquid only ended up on his uniform after her first taste.

"No," he said as politely as he could muster.

"When is she supposed to be here?" Rodney finally spoke, his nails still firmly wrenched in between his teeth. "Is this apart of the whole cliché cloak and dagger ordeal? Keep us in suspense to make us more pliable to her demands?"

The Satedan rolled his eyes. "Relax, McKay."

"Don't 'relax, McKay' me!" he demanded in a harsh whisper. "I don't know how you two walls of meat can be so calm about this but there is a woman that is intent on killing us if we don't do exactly what her agency or whatever wants us to do."

Teal'c raised a brow. "I highly doubt that assumption, Dr. McKay."

The scientist looked surprised yet slightly relieved. "Really? Why?"

"They would not kill us if we simply refuse her offer. To do such a thing would be risking exposing her company and therefore losing their label of covertness."

"But she said –

"That she'd kill you?" Ronon smiled. "If she's like any other normal person on this planet, she was probably just enjoying watching you squirm."

"Wouldn't it be a risk coming to us then? What if we turned her in to the SGC?"

"Even if we did, she wouldn't give any information – if she's a good spy, anyway," Ronon shrugged. "The only risk they took was losing one of their operatives."

"How do you know about all this?" Rodney asked, suddenly looking very suspicious.

The Runner leaned back against the chair and crossed his arms. "I watch a lot of television."

"As do I," Teal'c offered. "Many of the programs are most intriguing."

Ronon rolled his eyes. "Teal'c watches those cooking shows."

The Jaffa looked to his companion. "I find it far more preferable to your programs."

"Let me guess, blood and gore stuff?" McKay asked.

Ronon shrugged his shoulders.

"Hello," a petite blonde greeted and then proceeded to sit at the only available chair – next to McKay, who scooted away conspicuously.

No one said a thing but all watched her as she pulled up her briefcase on to the table and removed her sunglasses.

She looked around at them and smiled. "How is everyone?"

"What is it you are offering us?" Teal'c asked bluntly.

Nicole raised her brow and started opening the briefcase. "Straight to the point, I see. Very well…" she pulled out a couple of stacks of papers and handed one to each of the men.

"These are contracts," she explained. "Your assignment will be detailed throughout pages one through five. Agreements are on pages six and seven and signatures are on the last page."

"Can you give us a summary?" McKay asked, flipping through the papers with a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Of course," she said cheerily. "The very first assignment will be to have on hand a concealed camera of which you will carefully use on occasion to film parts of the mission that you would deem interesting to the general audience. You will also have a container in which to collect tangible evidence of sorts. There are more aspects but you can overview those by yourselves. Your collaboration will be, of course, completely confidential unless you feel otherwise" – she gave Rodney a look before continuing – "however any injuries, arrests and/or deaths will not fall responsible to our company. If you should refuse this assignment at any point during which after you accept it, you will be subjected to several fines and consequences afterward. Your safety from the military or anyone else is not guaranteed but your life after your help is promised reward. Any questions?"

"No." Ronon said, slamming the paper down in front of him glaring at the woman.

She was unaffected by his reaction but stared straight back at him. "Give it time – overview these papers on your own schedules – if you find that you would prefer not to help then return them at this coffee house in the mailbox out front. If your papers are not returned within twenty four hours, we will recover them by our own means and destroy them."

"And what if we go straight to the SGC?" Ronon asked, daring her with his tone.

Nicole shrugged. "Then that is your risk to take."

She snapped her briefcase shut and stood. "However, if you find this offer appealing, you have my number and can contact me within that twenty four hour period. Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful day."

III

_I don't like this at all,_ McKay noted as he stood in front of the gate at the SGC. As much as he'd been pushing to return to Atlantis, he didn't know how vividly he would remember the anticipation of going through the gate as well as the harrowing possibility of not returning.

Colonel Carter was talking as the gate dialed – something about the mission and hope and all that – the moral-booster just before heading into complete and utter doom.

He shifted around and gingerly looked to his right to see Sheppard listening intently. He couldn't help but also notice the guards that were closely surrounding him, keeping a not-so-inconspicuous eye on him.

Rodney felt his hope for the mission drop. He didn't feel comfortable in any mission unless Sheppard had his P-90 in full grip. But this time, he wasn't even allowed to hold a butter knife.

Even if John _had_ committed such an act – which was still in debate as far as he was concerned – he would still prefer that the ex-colonel held tight to a weapon, of any sort.

He looked to his left to see Ronon, his attention drifting and his hand eagerly on his holster. At least Conan the Barbarian was still there – that made things a little bit better.

Nostalgia still tugged at the scientist – the good ol' days when the whole gang would go off on missions like these. But that would never be the same now. Not with Sheppard's recent dealings, Teyla's disappearance and the IOA's complete idiotic ideas of shutting down the Stargate program inevitably.

"…so let's move out," Carter concluded and Rodney hoped she hadn't said anything important whilst he'd been daydreaming.

The other soldiers that were accompanying them headed out first while the other four lingered behind – save for John's 24-hour bodyguards – to savor the moment.

They all looked at each other in a sort of telepathic moment before they slowly followed out through the ring and towards their first mission in a long time and perhaps their last mission ever.


	7. Chapter 7

"I am just glad he isn't hurt," Teyla sighed as she looked down upon her son lovingly. He was anxiously squirming to be released from her arms – he was far too big to be held that long anymore, but she couldn't allow it – it hurt too much to not be able to hold him.

"How long were you there?" Ford asked, watching her through the crackling campfire. The other men were asleep while he was on watch. Teyla, of course, couldn't bear to even close her eyes.

She looked up at him while tentatively releasing Torren to play with a makeshift toy – a sand-filled sack that Aiden had constructed for him.

"I have no way of knowing," she said softly. "I just know that he looks a lot older to me than when I last saw him."

"What did they do to you?"

Teyla shook her head. "Nothing – I remember them taking my blood from me in the very beginning. But other than taking me away from my child and keeping me in that cell, they didn't harm me in any way."

"But Torren –

"Cried," she closed her eyes, remembering the terrible sounds of her son wailing through the nights, "relentlessly. It appears that have not hurt him physically but I can only imagine…"

Ford made his way around the fire and sat next to her. He didn't hesitate to grip her hand. "You're both safe now. I won't let anyone hurt either one of you again."

Teyla smiled slightly but she couldn't help but stare at his big hand over her small one. They had shared a connection before he had left – a deep friendship, she believed. But to have him act that way again after what she had seen him do under the influence of the Wraith enzyme was shocking to say the least.

Aiden noticed her discomfort and quickly withdrew. He stared into the fire, his hands now firmly clasped together and his jaw clenching.

"Where have you been?" she asked carefully, hoping to avoid the awkward tension. "We thought you died on the hive ship."

The young man placed a hand over his eyes. "I wanted to start again with Atlantis, but after awhile I realized that things would never be the same. If I was lucky, I would be court-martialed – but I would never be part of the team again."

Teyla didn't know what to say. But she couldn't help but believe that he was right. The way she'd seen the military work, they weren't kind to those who had made mistakes – especially the kind Ford had committed.

"So I decided to make my own," he went on. "I forged my own…'Sheppard's team', I call us. I even named us after Colonel Sheppard. At first, I wanted to just help out those who were hurt by the Wraith – you know, help defend the defenseless."

He paused and licked his lips. She saw a tear emerge from his one visible eye. "But things went wrong. The enzyme – it was too addicting. I tried cutting back to small doses but it wasn't enough. I had to have more and more. When I realized that my new recruits had a hard time keeping up, I gave some to them. Eventually we went from being a Good Samaritan team to being harvesters. We just went back to what we had done before – pillaging hive ships and taking as much enzyme as we could get. I didn't think it could get any worse than that."

The fire was dimming and Torren had fallen asleep against her leg but she knew she had to hear Aiden out. She wanted to know about his new technology he had required and whether it would take her back to her people or maybe even Earth. However, now was not the time.

"We needed resources," he looked at her pleadingly, as if trying to will her to understand what would come next, "we had to...we had to raid the refugee camps we had set up a long time ago. I remembered the addresses and I took my men there. We would take from them what we needed – food, mostly – and then we would leave. I tried my best to make sure no one was harmed but Hargoth –

He looked over at the biggest man snoring soundly on their left. "Hargoth has a temper. One of the refugees decided to stand up against us. He..."

Now Ford was completely teary-eyed and his face scrunched up as though he were holding in a great storm. "I watched him as he killed this innocent man. His family watched. I – I couldn't –

Teyla flung her arms around her old friend and embraced him. Where this man had been were terrible places – but he had developed his old conscience again. Lieutenant Aiden Ford was fighting back.

He cried softly and she tried to think hard about what to say, but the only thing she could utter was "come back."

III

"What did they take, exactly?" Colonel Carter asked, trying to focus the frantic woman. "Can you show me?"

The speechless woman nodded and led the way. Samantha breathed a sigh of relief. This was the fifth village, which happened to be New Athos, that they had visited and her suspicions had been correct – they were all refugee camps set up by the Atlantis teams in the first year of their expedition. Ford would have had to have the addresses.

They arrived at what looked like their food storages and the woman showed her the empty shack. All of the reserves the teams had faithfully brought were pillaged – leaving the building completely bare.

She had resolved that they would stay undercover here. It was the one pillaged the longest time ago. Ford's men were likely to strike here again before any other place.

Carter looked at the rest of her team. Ronon looked simply angry and ready to shoot someone while McKay simply expressed great confusion and worry.

John Sheppard had just been fighting his guard duty for the entire time they had been travelling – either about their close quarters, having to be supervised to relieve himself, or the fact that he couldn't even pick up a twig without them inspecting it first. She knew he was supposed to be an observer and advisor on the mission, but so far he'd just been a painful passenger, something she knew he didn't like.

"What do you think, John?" she asked, watching him as he stared down one of his guards.

He didn't look away. "John!" she tried again.

He reluctantly tore his eyes away and looked at her. "What?" he sounded impatient and almost uninterested.

Colonel Carter sighed and bit her lip. Striding towards them, she gave the sentinel a nod, signaling that she wanted a word with Sheppard.

"Let's take a walk," she suggested. Turning to Ronon and McKay, she ordered, "take a brief inventory of everything that was stolen – see if it matches Ford's pattern."

Rodney sighed and Ronon started to turn around and go through the items.

She placed her hand on John's back to try and steer him away but she saw him visibly flinch under her touch and she quickly drew back. They began walking into the woods at a slow pace silently.

Sheppard started. "Sorry."

"For what?"

He sighed, "For being a pain in the ass. I know this is an important mission and all, but I'm just not used to…" he stretched his arms out in a helpless gesture.

"Guards?" she offered.

"Being a prisoner," he countered with a bit of challenge in his tone. "I can't so much as spit without these guys getting all trigger happy. Doesn't it mean anything that I was one of them once?"

Sam stopped and turned to face the ex-colonel. "John," she said hesitantly, "you're not a prisoner."

"Then get these guys off my back," he demanded through his teeth. She could see him visibly attempting to rein in his temper.

"Not until you can prove to me that you don't need them."

Sheppard's expression changed in an instant. "You think I killed him too, don't you?"

Before she could answer, he whirled around and flung his foot into the nearest tree, cursing. He turned back to face her and Carter could have sworn his eyes were blood red. "I devoted my _life_ to this program for five years and you're telling me that none of that matters anymore? That you all change how you see me because of a wacky accusation?"

"I don't think you killed him!" she said, nearly yelling to try and keep her voice above his. She still had to keep control of the situation. She _was _the superior officer. Sheppard had a bit of a history dealing with authority figures but she was going to have to curb his anger in a different direction in this case.

He stared at her in disbelief. "Then why –

"Because of _this_," she exclaimed in exasperation. She turned around, running a hand through the front of her hair, mussing up her tightly pulled back ponytail. "Damn it John! I had thought the idea of prison guards on this mission was ridiculous! But now I'm beginning to question whether or not I need to send in an entire team just to keep you in line. Even before this you were completely off your rocker! I mean, holy Hannah – threatening _McKay_? Have you lost it?"

For once he was silent.

She started to calm herself as she held out a hand. "Okay, let's just give this a try, alright? If I notice that you've started to keep yourself together a little better, I'll let them ease off of you. But you've got to give me some good faith, John. This mission is imperative and I think it will go a lot more smoothly if I have you with your head screwed on right."

Sheppard nodded in understanding. "Fine. I'll do my best."

III

Carter ordered them to make camp near one of the outer huts. The people had been kind enough to supply them with mediocre living spaces since they figured their stay would be elongated.

"Three months?" John heard Rodney whining to Colonel Carter and he smiled in remembrance of having to be on the receiving end of the scientist's bellyaching.

"It's an estimate, McKay," Carter sighed. "They just pillaged about six months ago. The likelihood of them arriving again so soon isn't that great. We just have to wait it out."

"You could have at least said that at the meeting! Then I would have thought to pack a pillow."

"There's a pillow in your pack."

"Yeah, a standard military issue pillow – these grunts don't know what comfort is! It's like sleeping on bark!"

"Hey, McKay," Ronon barked. "You can sleep underground if you don't shut the hell up!"

"You know what? I'm not scared of you anymore, you barbarian – you're all grumbles and no bite."

Sheppard heard the sound of someone standing up and then Rodney's backtracking and muttered apologies.

He would have laughed out loud if it weren't for the close quarters of his new buddies. They hadn't left his side even for him to make his bed.

It was part of his parole limitations that his sleeping area would be at a considerable distance from the rest of the camp – one of the few restrictions he didn't mind.

Leaning up against a tree, he looked out over the plains the Athosians had settled on. He spotted the various circular huts, most of them lighted still and recalled the last time he had seen such a sight.

_"It's already 2300 hours," Rodney complained. "How can they stay up for that much longer for this ceremony?"_

_ "You'll be fine, McKay," Ronon assured in a low, irritated tone. "One night staying up past 1900 hours should do you some good."_

_ "Hey! That was for one week and it was because Jennifer said I had an acute case of –_

_ "Shh!" Teyla hushed and they all immediately quieted. John watched her as her eyes brightened at the sight of her people._

_ They were gathered in a circle and talking in low voices._

_ "What are they doing?" Sheppard asked, genuinely curious._

_ "Exchanging vows of faithfulness before the binding ceremony," she informed, glancing at him momentarily before looking out over the scene again._

_ He looked past the circle and towards the homes of the Athosians. Every single hut was lit up in a brilliant display – little dwellings scattered over the fields in likeness of the stars above._

_ "They have finished," she said after a few moments. "We may now enter."_

_ They strolled into the area, all following behind Teyla as she reached out to greet Halling, who seemed to be aging quite a bit._

_Bowing their heads to meet in an intimate greeting between close friends, everyone grew quiet._

_ After they finished, he looked up and motioned to Colonel Sheppard and his team. "Why must you bring weapons? This is a happy time."_

_ "Standard procedure," John quickly explained, hoping not to offend. "Sorry."_

_ Halling appeared unaffected as he lifted his hands and smiled widely. "As long as you are here and are ready to enjoy yourselves!"_

_ "Oh we are!" Rodney exclaimed and Sheppard turned to see the scientist eyeing the table of foods._

_ "Colonel Sheppard!" A voice called from the crowds._

_ Jinto appeared, a tall strapping young man with a big grin and twinkling eyes. The colonel took a step back in surprise at his changed appearance._

_ His old friend rushed towards him to envelop him in a hug to which John returned with an awkward pat on the back. When he released hold on him, he looked down at the boy and laughed. "Wow, I can't believe it's you – last time I saw you, you were a little kid getting lost in a game of hide-and-seek."_

_ "Yes, I am full-grown now," the boy returned with a smug expression._

_ Sheppard bit his lip to keep from chuckling. Sure the kid was taller but he couldn't have been more than seventeen – not fully-grown in his book._

_ "This is Anina," Jinto magically pulled out a girl from behind him. She was a young, pretty girl who appeared to be just the kid's type. He thought about reaching out to shake her hand but thought better of it. _

_ "It's nice to meet you," he settled, "and congratulations."_

_ They both nodded their thanks and went off to enjoy their ceremony._

_ John looked around. Ronon was busy inhaling the food with Rodney anxiously fighting his way to get at least the scraps. He decided against hanging out with them tonight. Instead he turned to see Teyla, smiling and laughing with her people. _

_ She looked so radiant in the moonlight – he might even say, beautiful._

_ She caught him looking and gestured for him to come join her conversation. _

_ Just as he was attempting to make his way to her, navigating through crowds of slightly intoxicated guests, the most dreadful sound tore through the night._

_ They locked eyes for a split second before looking up._

_ It was one Wraith ship. But it was enough to cause panic to erupt._

_ The Athosians already began to weep, as though they were already mourning deaths. Bodies bustled and jostled against him as each and every one hurried to save themselves._

_ Sheppard returned his attention to Teyla – but she was already gone._

"John?"

He blinked, brought back to reality as he looked up to see McKay, wringing his hands and casting glances towards the vigilant guards.

"What is it?" he asked, trying not to sound as bitter as he felt.

But from the look on the scientist's face, Sheppard saw that he had failed.

"I, uh, just wanted to make sure that…that everything was …okay between us."

Concentrating on his tone, he replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well – last we spoke before the meeting…it wasn't on good terms."

"I was an ass, Rodney, I'm sorry," John apologized, though he could hardly believe what he was saying.

McKay seemed equally as shocked by the response and finally made eye contact. "You had good reason; I shouldn't have tried to force you to –

Sheppard held up a hand. "Forget it. Goodnight."

He rolled over and leaned the other way against the tree. He waited until he heard footsteps leading back to the campsite before he let out a deep sigh of relief.


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks for the continued reviews, guys! Your feedback really **does** make a difference! _

* * *

><p>Teyla awoke to the sounds of crackling fire and the laughter of her child.<p>

"Torren," she murmured sleepily.

"Mama," the child called out and she opened her heavy eyelids to the sight of Aiden holding her son closely, both of them watching her intently.

She pushed herself off of the ground and looked around. None of the other men were present. It was only the three of them.

"Where have they gone?" she asked.

"Breakfast," Ford answered simply. "I was babysitting."

She smiled as she watched him bounce on the young man's lap, still playing with the sack of dirt.

"He's not that hard to take care of," Aiden told her, turning the boy so that he was facing him. "He's a lot like you, in fact. What was his name again?"

"Torren John," she responded softly with a pang in her heart as she remembered both of his namesakes.

"After Sheppard," he realized, not taking his eyes off the child.

She nodded.

Just then, her son reached up to Ford's eye patch and pulled it back.

Dismayed, she lurched towards him and pulled him away, scolding him gently.

Aiden quickly recovered, swiftly replacing the patch over the eye without the slightest sign of embarrassment.

"It's okay," he assured her. "Everyone gets curious."

She shot him an apologetic look as she released Torren to play with the toy a few feet away.

The men arrived soon after, hauling a few animal carcasses with them.

Teyla watched as they threw them on the fire and slow roasted them with care. She made sure that her child would not be in the way, though even if he was, she highly doubted it would have bothered them.

They all seemed to take a liking to him – as tough as they appeared – and they had all reassured her that they would make sure no more harm would come to him.

She worried, however, about that promise – as long as they remained on the planet where they had been held captive for who knew how long.

"Aiden," she called, picking up her son and going to sit next to him amidst the bustle of breakfast. "How long will we remain on this planet?"

He shrugged, "Until we need to leave."

Trying to hide her frustration, Teyla tried again. "I am worried about how long we stay on the very planet that has imprisoned us for so long."

Ford smiled as he took a bite of some meat that had just been prepared. "We're not on that planet anymore."

Shocked, she asked where they were.

"New Athos," he told her.

III

"Rise and shine, cupcake."

That was the first thing Rodney McKay heard that morning. Before he could angrily retort, he soon realized that the derogatory command was not directed at him.

He rolled over on his mat to see one of the guards shove Sheppard over with his boot, waking him up with a start.

The next few string of words from John's mouth made Rodney cringe. But the soldier just laughed and reached down to haul him up by his collar.

Angered by the mistreatment, the scientist tried to gather up the courage to tell the jarheads off, but couldn't find it in his empty gut.

Seeing Sheppard so terribly mistreated was not only out of the ordinary but just plain horrifying – especially by his own people.

Knowing the ex-colonel, however, McKay knew that no complaint about the roughness of his sentry would be made to Carter.

Mentally, he made a note to inform the commanding officer of this ridiculousness later.

As if on cue, Samantha came strolling towards him, a bundle of cloth tucked underneath her arm.

Before he could say a word, however, she handed that bundle to him. "These will be your clothes for the duration of the mission."

Rodney looked down at the horrid fabric – it was tattered and stained – not to mention it didn't look too comfortable. "What? Why?"

"We're here on an undercover mission, remember? When Ford's team comes back, we need to be sure not to catch their attention right away and scare them off."

"In case you've forgotten, he knows what we all look like –

"You're not going to be up in his face, McKay. Besides, seeing you here will be the last thing he'll expect. Now wear the clothes."

"This is ridiculous." He muttered.

He knew she was choosing not to hear him, so he settled at mumbling to himself. These "costumes" were bound to give him the most uncomfortable rash.

III

The Athosians were generous and kind enough to supply the meals for everyone, however strange and unique they were to the visitors, and they all dug in hungrily to the second one of the day. Athosians traditionally only ate twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening – to save time in the middle to hunt and complete tasks. This, of course, resulted in rather large meals that were long awaited.

Sheppard chewed his meal slowly, savoring each bite. The taste reminded him of Teyla – hell; this whole place reminded him of her. And yet, not one of the natives had even mentioned her or the others from that dreadful day. It pissed him off.

"I can't believe these savages don't have lunch," McKay grumbled as he sat across from John on the table. The two guards sitting on either side of the ex-colonel seemed surprised but didn't make any attempt to engage him in conversation, not that the scientist would comply anyway.

The fact that Rodney was making more and more obvious attempts at reestablishing the friendship they had once had both amused and irritated Sheppard. What was he going for? Was he trying to make him feel guilty for letting the relationship fade off into oblivion – save for that solitary chess meet-up every so often? That's all their friendship was anymore – a chess club.

So instead of humoring McKay's half-rhetoric remark, he simply stared at him until he noticed.

"What?" he asked defensively, trying not to look down at the eagerly awaited meal before him.

"What are you doing?"

"Eating, what are you doing?"

"Stop it, McKay, alright?" he pointed an eating utensil at the man. "I don't need any phony sympathy friendship – especially not from you."

"John, I'm not being phony –

"Then why –

"Hey guys."

The half-baked argument was immediately interrupted by the intrusion of the commanding officer.

"Sir," all four of them stood up, even before Sheppard could remember that he wasn't even required to anymore.

"Sit down," Carter motioned, her mouth already full.

They all complied and began to dig in. John, however, still picked.

"Not hungry?" the colonel asked, looking skeptically at the full plate of food before him.

His stomach gurgled. "Not really."

She nodded slowly, her expression read that she wasn't convinced but didn't pursue it further. That's one of the things Sheppard liked about Colonel Carter – she wasn't prying.

He looked down at his garb and the others' and tried to start a conversation to fill in the awkward silence. "So what's with the get up?"

"Disguise," she replied. "We're Athosians – for as long as need be."

"I can't believe Ford," he muttered, changing the subject. "If I had just made him come with us on that ship –

"This still would have happened," Carter interrupted. "John, you can't blame one decision on your part for the start of this entire thing. The only person at fault here is Ford himself."

"Even if we do get him, what are we going to do? He's so hopped up on that damn Wraith enzyme – there'll be no talking sense into him or any of his gang."

"That's if we're lucky," she replied with a frown as she began peeling an odd-looking piece of fruit from her plate. "I don't know if we'll even have time to talk to him. Our mission is to put a stop to him – however that may go down."

III

Teyla couldn't help but let a smile light her lips.

Home. She was home. But how could that have happened?

As if reading her mind, Aiden began explaining, "This device," he gestured to the armband on his upper right arm, "can let us jump to any planet within the solar system."

"You mean to say that they did not even take me far from my home planet?"

"Just a stone's throw away," he replied with a shrug.

"Why?" she wondered aloud to herself.

"Why did they want you two in the first place?"

She shook her head as she sat down next to him again. "I do not even know that. All I can remember before that place is being taken. There was a celebration here for a marriage when a Wraith ship attacked. It landed and the Wraith pillaged all of the villages. I had run towards the hut of Torren's father. I found him in his cradle but not his father. I picked him up and intended to run towards the Stargate. But I was stopped just outside of the hut by a Wraith – I recall that he didn't look like an ordinary Wraith – almost human in some aspects. He shot me with a stunner. That is the last I remember."

"Michael," Ford mumbled.

"What?" she turned to look at him. She had not heard that name in years, nor did she want to.

"The Wraith you tried to turn into a human – the one that got loose, caused hell, and had an unhealthy fascination for your kid," he gestured to the young boy on the ground whose attention was suddenly drawn towards the intense conversation.

"You know about him," she realized and leaned back.

"Yeah, I do," he shook his head. "I have half a mind to bet that he had something to do with taking Torren away from you."

Teyla couldn't believe she was so blind as to not have figured this before. But Michael was dead. Wasn't he?


	9. Chapter 9

_AN: Thank you for your patience, those of you who have been anxiously awaiting. I feel like this chapter has a bit too much cliches but who the heck cares? It gets the point across and hopefully helps you understand the set up._

_I should stop jabbering. You lot can figure it out by yourselves, I'm sure. The clever bunch you are..._

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><p>John found himself wandering through the village – alone for once. Fred and Barney, as he had affectionately dubbed his personal grunts, had obviously become less concerned over his whereabouts and had thus allowed the leash to be let out a bit.<p>

As he strolled along, he came across the spot where he remembered the fire at the celebration all those years ago had been. Grass had grown over it, but it was a much brighter green than the surrounding lawn. As he bent down to inspect it, he heard someone behind him.

He turned to see her; Jinto's wife, standing there with her head down and her hands folded in front of her.

As he stood in greeting, she spoke. "I come here every afternoon – I fertilize the grass where the fire had been made."

Sheppard nodded. He knew Athosians didn't have graves – their belief system didn't call for it. But obviously this young woman needed some sort of memorial.

She didn't look sad, but she did appear solemn. After so long, perhaps she had finally come to terms with the tragedy – something he feared he would never achieve.

"I do not only honor Jinto here," she told him, bending down at the spot. "It is a place for all of those lost on that day. I especially remember Teyla Emmagen daughter of Torren."

John fought back the tears that he felt coming. Clearing his throat, he could do nothing but nod.

He watched as Anina pulled out a strange substance from the bag that hung across her torso. She sprinkled it over the area and stepped back. When she looked up at him, she smiled. "You and Teyla were close, were you not?"

Again, Sheppard could do nothing but nod.

She looked back down at the ground. "I could see it in her eyes that you were very special to her."

To his surprise, he found that it was not difficult to hold back to urge to correct the young girl on the past tense she kept using when referring to his friend. Ordinarily, he would have snapped and insisted that she wasn't dead – that she was alive and well and just waiting for him to rescue her.

Perhaps the forced sobriety over the past few days had let him clear up his thoughts and realize that perhaps there was no use in holding out for the dead. Teyla was gone. He had seen the Wraith carry her and her child off but had not seen them die himself. Why was that enough to sustain the thought that she was alive? Simply because he didn't have the misfortune to watch the life of his friend and her baby being sucked away wasn't a plausible reason. He was almost accepting the fact that he didn't rescue her in time. Perhaps that quack doctor was right; maybe it was just a serious case of irrational denial.

"I should return," Anina told him. "It was pleasant to see you again, Colonel Sheppard."

He didn't bother to correct her on her referring to him by his rank. It wasn't necessary and it felt nice to hear that again.

Once she was gone, he stood in front of the green patch and bowed his head.

"Sorry, Teyla," he sighed. "I should have let you rest in peace a long time ago."

III

It had been a couple months spent on the journey to Teyla's people, though she had not been a willing traveler.

When she learned of their true intents to once again plunder her village, she became so irate and stubborn that Ford had no choice but to tie her hands and assign one of the men to watch her.

He felt extremely guilty but he had no choice. The power source for their devices was running low and they couldn't go to any other planet at the moment. They had to take what they could from the Athosians once again in the good old fashioned way until they had to scram.

Torren had been no trouble. Even though he had been separated from his mother, he had established a sort of friendship with Aiden and had dutifully begun journeying with them on his own.

His walk had been unstable after so many years in captivity – but since he was bordering on the age of six, the skill didn't take to long to master and he had been able to keep up with the men at a surprising rate.

The child still couldn't say very much but he seemed to understand orders well enough. If Ford hadn't sworn to himself to drop off Teyla and her son as soon as they were finished with New Athos, he would keep the kid himself and raise him to be his apprentice.

"Aiden!"

He sighed. That call was loud, demanding and urgent. It had to be Teyla.

He halted the caravan and retreated to the back of the group where she was travelling side by side with Serge, one of the least violent men in the group that he had assigned to her.

"What is it, Teyla?" he asked impatiently, trying his best to be diplomatic.

"You cannot do this," she seethed, pulling at her restraints in frustration. "I will not help you rob my people."

"You're coming with us, whether you like it or not," Ford told her. "I'm not leaving you and Torren on your own for the Wraith to find you."

"They are on another planet – they will not find us. We will find my people on our own."

"And then warn them that we're coming? I don't think so." He turned and began marching onward.

"At least let me have my son back with me," she pleaded from afar.

He stopped and turned to the young boy that had been spending the journey piggy-backing on one of the men.

Aiden reached over and put the tot on the ground. Stooping down, he pointed to where Teyla stood. "Go walk with your mom, okay?"

As if waiting for that very command, Torren took off in the direction of his mother and grasped her hand.

Teyla seemed too preoccupied with the happiness of having her child back that she didn't bother to continue her protests.

With that, they set off on their journey, once again.

III

"Good afternoon," she greeted cheerily as she walked into the room, swinging the briefcase in tune.

"What have I told you about covertness? My secretary is incredibly suspicious now thanks to your comment."

"Well it is a need-to-know basis," she shrugged, shedding her coat and sunglasses. "She's a little nosy."

"Sit down, Nicole."

She obeyed and watched as her boss drew out a box of cigarettes and lit one.

Cale only smoked when he was nervous.

"What's wrong?" she asked, now beginning her own nervous habit of biting her nails.

He cradled the cigarette in his mouth a little while longer before answering in the puff of smoke. "I received a call today."

"Oh?" Nicole feigned indifference but inside her heart began pounding a little faster.

"Yes," Cale quickly snuffed out the cigarette in the ashtray. "A certain Mr. Woolsey was curious as to the fact why my business number was left on his desk by a young blonde woman."

She shrugged. "I figured a business number would seem more appealing to a lawyer."

"You figured incorrectly," he leaned forward, looking at her sternly. "He threatened to sue us for intimidation. He thought you were trying to coerce him into joining a worker's union."

"I was extremely clear as to what I was inviting him into," she scoffed. "He knows."

"Whether or not he knew is not the issue, Ms. Kent – in your intimidation tactics, how many of the old Atlantis team did you manage to convince?"

She swallowed. "One."

Cale leaned back. "One?"

Nicole leaned forward in response, folding her arms across the desk and placing her chin on her hands. "But a good one," she smiled.

"One of them will not do," he replied smoothly. He reached into the right-hand drawer and pulled out his revolver.

She shrunk away from the steely menace but put on a front. "I'm sorry, Cale. I did my best."

"Your best will not do either."

Her eyes could not be pulled away from the frightening weapon he held in his hand. She felt her lip beginning to tremble.

"You wouldn't…in here…" she managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.

He smiled against the shadows. "Soundproof," he pointed to the walls.

He fired.

III

After rifling through his personal items, he finally found the materials Nicole had given him. They were sensitive documents, he knew, but he also knew that no one would think to go through his things – especially to find these.

He'd already captured several shots of things he knew Kent and her kind would drool over. He just couldn't bring himself to take the ones of the commanding officers. Not only would he have sold them out – they'd be national pariahs for years.

Had it been so long that he had actually forgotten where his loyalties lay?


	10. Chapter 10

_AN: Please remember to review! Thanks a million. :)_

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><p>"Have you seen Colonel Sheppard?"<p>

Carter looked up from her vigorous work – attempting to help Halling create a small vegetable garden. The quiet voice had emanated from behind her and she turned to see Anina, Jinto's widow, protectively holding a basket close to her chest.

"I haven't actually," Sam responded, secretly relishing the short break as she wiped the sweat off of her brow. The thick clothing didn't help anything. "Now that you mention it though, I should probably get an update on him."

The girl looked worried for a split second before holding out her hands towards the colonel. "No, no – I just saw him earlier. I was just wondering if he had returned yet. He seemed very sad back at the old village."

Carter suddenly realized that Sheppard had wandered off without his escort. He wouldn't mourn in front of the sentries.

Walking around the girl, she went into her hut where she hid her radio. Sensitive units, such as Sheppard, were still required to wear an earpiece, despite their primitive façade. Higher officers went without and the colonel stuck with a hand radio hidden in her shelter.

She gripped the button with the force of her anger. "John, where are you?"

Just before the silence was too much and she was ready to call again, he answered: _"Uh…nowhere."_

Sam bit her lip and tried to keep her cool. "You need to get back here right now. I can't have you running around without your –

Suddenly, a savage scream erupted across the fields outside. Dropping her radio, she instinctively rushed outside to answer the cry.

Then she saw them. After only a month, they were already here.

The colonel almost had to physically restrain herself from rushing forward to defend the Athosians from the bullies. She had to keep her cover until she could ascertain that everyone else was in position.

She watched as the big men stalked through the village, holding no weapons but their known abilities and heavy glares. She could just make out the half-face of Aiden Ford among them.

As they passed by, Carter slunk back into the hut.

_"Carter? Carter!"_

Sam let out an audible gasp and rushed toward the radio Sheppard was screaming from.

She turned the knob on the radio but it was too late. The light from the doorway was shadowed by a bulky man who snarled at her. He had heard something.

As she turned to face him, she covertly kicked the device away.

He looked her up and down and gestured with a rough jerk of his head to move outside.

Instead of refusing and tensing up to fight as she normally would have, she timidly complied, keeping up with her rouse.

"Hands on your head," he ordered gruffly.

Now this particular command perplexed Sam. It was a very military-esque order and she could only come to the conclusion that Ford had resorted to military training when dealing with his recruits. That still meant that part of him connected with his old life. If Plan A failed, that theoretical piece just might be a saving grace in the end.

In her thought processing, she had completely forgotten to actually follow the demand and was punished with him doing it himself by snapping her arms up on top of her head so quickly that she felt a muscle become misplaced.

Once they were outside, she was suddenly aware that all of the women and children were being taken out of the homes and placed in a circle surrounding the fire pit.

As the colonel looked around for her male comrades, she located them massed together in a large group outside of the village. In the middle she saw McKay, his expression giving away all sorts of panicking stages he was going through. She hoped one of the others would calm him down and remind him to keep his face away from Ford.

The procession of Ford's band was still emerging from the woods and she couldn't help but wonder if the rumors of them appearing out of thin air weren't completely imaginary. It seemed to her that they were all just entering by way of foot.

Still, they did seem to be an endless bunch and it if weren't for her remembering to keep her head down and her face hidden, she could have watched them invade forever.

Then Ford started speaking. His speech was almost eloquent for a universal criminal – but his words chilled her to the bone.

"…we've only come to take what we need. We need food, weapons, tools, medicines…and we need them now. My men have searched your village and it appears as though you've all hidden your stash of resources."

A long pause followed and Sam glanced at the other Athosian women. They all suddenly looked down at the ground. They knew.

It was never part of the plan to hide anything. This could only make things worse.

"I have no choice but to resort to this," he started again. Something about his tone made the colonel tense. "Every hour we are not told where this hiding place is, one of your women will be killed."

The men were outraged in a second flat. She could hear Halling shouting angry curses as well as Ronon's grunts as he began to fight even harder against the steroid-pumped forces that held him back.

"Your time begins now."

Out of her peripheral vision, Carter could see him coming closer and closer towards her. He stopped in front of her and she inspected his combat boots – they were old and worn, hardly appearing anything like standard issue anymore.

His hand clamped down on the collar of her tunic and hauled her to her feet.

She would be first.

xXx

"Carter!" Sheppard swore as he inspected his ear piece and made sure it was still functioning – not that he could tell either way.

That scream set something off in John's blood and he knew something was wrong. Colonel Carter should have been receiving his screams, but she wasn't – or at least she wasn't answering to them.

He looked at his surroundings. He was still where the old village used to be – there wasn't a soul around for miles.

Anina had left an hour ago and he had loitered around and reminisced to the point where Teyla felt almost tangible.

Sheppard had lost track of time and self. Not to mention his purpose.

The fact that he was away from whatever danger everyone else might be in made him realize how completely useless he'd been this past month – some observer he'd been. The most he'd observed was the bottom of that flask he'd hid in his breast pocket. He had rationed it out over the weeks but had a falling out just a few days ago when he emptied the entire container within a night.

He had been on better behavior, though – he had stopped snapping at McKay and his guards. He didn't receive better treatment from either of them however.

What was he doing feeling sorry for himself at a time like this? So long off his game and he'd already forgotten his top priority - his team.

_Ex-team_. He thought ruefully. Still, Ronon and McKay would be counting on him – he knew it. He may have disappointed them, but they wouldn't count him out as a viable option when all hope was lost.

That was what he was when it came down to it – back in the old days, at least. The rescuer. The superman. He saved. That was what he did.

That's why Ford was such a stab to the sensitive memory – a reminder of one he didn't save. He was the poster child of John's failures.

And here he was, supposed to help arrest this very man that he'd taken under his wing since they'd stepped into Atlantis. What did that say about the kind of man he was?

No, he'd make this right. He would help Carter, his team, and the rest of the lot. Then he'd find Ford and ship his ass back home where he could recover and get better.

This renewed sense of purpose drove him as he picked up a light jog and headed into the woods back towards the village.

xXx

"Oh my god, Ronon, what do we do? They have Sam!"

"You think I don't see that, McKay?" It was all he could do to keep from literally knocking sense into the little man.

"They're going to kill her!"

Ronon grinded his teeth and quickly turned his attention to Halling.

Gripping the front of his shirt, he glared down at him. "You weren't supposed to hide anything!"

The old man was unaffected by the runner's intimidation tactics and kept a defiant expression. "We will do what we will with our possessions. It is our right."

The runner scoffed and released his hold. He jabbed his finger towards the circle of helpless women, including Colonel Carter and the other women on the team. "Look what your right did to your people – and _ours_!"

"There was no way we could have foreseen this," Halling looked apologetic now as he looked over the hostages. "Their actions are quite unusual. Normally, they are almost friendly."

"You need to tell them where the stuff is so they can let them go!"

The man swallowed. "No."

Ronon towered over him. "What?"

Once again, Halling remained indifferent to the Satedan's growing rage. "If we relent every time, they will not stop in their pillaging."

"That's what _we're_ here for!" McKay butted in to the conversation, his eyes wild with fear and anger, "to make that stop! But we can't do that if you guys do something and then not tell us! Like, oh I don't know, alter Plan A?"

This time, the leader seemed to be at a loss for words, but then Ronon noticed that he was staring at something behind them.

After he turned to see what possibly could have taken the man's attention away, he stepped back.

Suddenly, he felt very weak. His knees were about to give way – he could feel it.

Rodney gasped and Ronon realized that the scientist was about to cry out and he quickly gripped his arm in such a way that only a yelp of pain escaped.

Despite the shock, they couldn't give it away now. They had to keep their cover. They couldn't let Aiden see either of them.

But once comprehension soaked in, Ronon's shock quickly turned to anger.

What was Ford doing with Teyla and her son?


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: First of all, I want to thank all of you for the emails, messages, reviews, etc. asking me to hurry up and write the next chapter! I appreciate the enthusiasm (really, I do) but I'm sorry if I don't always meet the "deadlines" some of you have given me (haha). While dealing with school, I also have other stuff going on and honestly, this is just something I do to unwind - not that it doesn't require some stress, sometimes though! _

_Anyway, all I really wanted to say was that I love the feedback I am getting and I'm trying to put out new chapters faster though it's difficult._

_Also, the scene changes are choppy, I know, I'll work on that ;)_

_Please review!_

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><p>Within the first ten minutes of his sprint, John could tell that those few days at the gym each week was nothing compared to being in actual action. He was out of shape.<p>

Nevertheless the adrenaline helped and there was no way he was going to slowly jog to his destination. No, the motivator was still there but the tight pain in his side seemed to be just a painful reminder of the life he'd left behind.

The older village was about five clicks away from the current one. It had taken him almost an entire day to 'wander' in that direction. Now, with so much on the line, Sheppard hoped it would take him less than half an hour.

He'd already gone through worst-case scenarios in his head – the most plausible being either Wraith invasion or Aiden and his merry men had come a couple months too soon.

John implored god or whatever divine force that it was the latter.

Strategies and plans had been laid out like maps in his head. If this happened, he would go in this direction. If it were to go this way, he would take this route.

The number one priority was rescuing his comrades and the villagers.

Number two was dragging Ford back into reality – even if that meant literally knocking some sense into the kid – and take him home.

However, in order to achieve number one, there would be some convincing required. There was no way Sheppard could save everyone without going noticed. As soon as he arrived, he knew he would be seen.

He just hoped there was enough of Lieutenant Aiden Ford left not to shoot him on sight.

xXx

"Teyla?" Rodney's mouth went dry and he jumped at the pressure on his arm.

Protesting against Ronon's grip, he strained to get a better view of what was most likely a mirage in his mind.

But the Satedan didn't release. Instead, he yanked the scientist down to a stoop where he got a full inhalation of the Runner's breath as he hissed instructions into his face.

"Don't let her see you, McKay."

"But – it's Teyla – she's –

"McKay!" he shook him harder, his voice getting harsher. "If she sees you, Ford will see you, and then we'll be done. Understand?"

Rodney nodded but couldn't resist another peek at the phenomenon. "What are we supposed do, though? Plan A failed, remember?"

"Plan B didn't."

McKay snapped back to attention. "What's Plan B?"

Ronon grinned. "Sheppard."

xXx

The sight of the Athosian women being held at gunpoint made Teyla nearly lose her senses.

She squeezed her child closer to her chest to remind her of what held her back these days. She couldn't have Aiden take him away again – it would be too painful.

But then again, what would become of her people?

Her eyes scanned the village until they rested on the crowd of men that had been herded together like livestock. She prayed that none of them would try to be heroic and challenge one of Ford's men – it would be the trigger that set this entire sensitive situation into a catastrophe.

Teyla caught a glimpse of Halling but could not bear to maintain eye contact. Her presence probably both astonished and confused him.

She was dead to her people and now she was back – but only to travel with those who would harm them.

Though she had no intention of protesting, Hogarth remained at her side, keeping a strong but silent presence. If it came down to it, she wondered if Aiden would really let the large man harm her.

Unfortunately, her trust in him was not so deep anymore that she had any desire to test that prospect.

Torren squirmed in her arms and she whispered quiet pleas in his ears to stay still.

He obeyed.

xXx

It was all Carter could do to keep her jaw from hitting the ground at the sight of Teyla.

Where had she been all this time if not dead? And the child she was holding – Sam's heart ached with guilt.

She had been on the side to give up the search for Teyla Emmagen, though it had not been till the very end.

Capture by a Wraith ship left little probability for survival and Teyla had no reason to have any advantage – no weapons, no team…

But now – she saw that she had been wrong. All those years wasted.

Had the woman been waiting for their rescue?

Had she been promising herself and others that her friends would come for them?

These impending questions doubled the remorse, nearly causing physical pain.

She quickly put them aside for the time being and tried to focus on imperative thoughts, such as how to escape and how to survive.

Teyla's sudden appearance might be an asset – if she could just get her to come closer...

No.

That wouldn't be a good idea at all, Sam suddenly realized. Ford was probably watching her like a hawk. The moment Teyla recognized her, so would Ford.

Just when she thought all possible strategies were crumbling to dust, she saw a dark figure race behind the trees.

xXx

From what John could ascertain from a safe distance, the big, scary men had the upper hand.

And for some reason, the men were separated from the women and children into their own corral.

They were all quiet except for Ford shouting out a descending number each time. Sheppard guessed it was in increments of minutes.

Something was about to happen, he figured, unless somebody did something he wanted.

_Ford,_ John remembered how much stupid stuff the kid did back before the accident.

Once he had convinced McKay that eating a certain herb they had brought back from a mission, a known laxative, was a muscle enhancer, causing more pain for Dr. Beckett than the scientist himself.

Whenever Sheppard was told to reprimand the lieutenant, he mostly settled for a slap to the back of the head and a "disapproving" head shake.

He knew that nothing Aiden did was intentionally harmful and therefore saw no need for lecturing on something he already knew not to do.

This was different.

But this wasn't Ford.

Of course, John had a hard time convincing himself of that whenever the young man's face came into view again. He looked exactly the same – save for the tattered clothing at the horrible makeshift eye patch.

He was the same eager young soldier – just blinded by his own addiction.

Sheppard shook his head. He had to refocus his efforts on an escape plan – he had to somehow take out the big guys guarding the men.

Just as he was about to implement a genius plan, he fell forward, a force pushing him to the ground.

The pressure didn't let up and he blacked out.

xXx

Aiden was restless.

He wasn't used to implementing the violent threats – even when things didn't go according to plan.

It didn't help that the Athosians' pride appeared to stay solid as the minutes ticked by and not a whisper of a hint lighted upon his ears.

He didn't want to, but he knew he had to end up following through. And that realization only frayed his nerves even more.

As he paced in circles, the glares coming from Teyla's direction felt like tiny knives. Even when he ignored her, he could still feel them pierce into his soul.

He had looked up to her on the team, as an older friend with years of experience ahead of him. But it still hurt, even now, to feel her heavy disapproval.

"You have five minutes!" he shouted, shattering the tense silence that had fallen since he last spoke.

The women were trying desperately to hold back their worries, but some of the younger ones couldn't control their sobs.

Ford felt the nagging guilt but pushed it aside.

They were just as much a part of this as the men – there was no need to discriminate at this point.

"Aiden!"

Surprised by another voice besides his own, he quickly turned towards the woods, from where it came.

Slatkinn, a small overly-zealous but all the same loyal recruit, came stomping out of the underbrush dragging something akin to a body behind him.

Thinking he had caught a runaway Athosian in the midst of the chaos, Ford rolled his eyes at the dramatization of the capturing.

"Just put him there with the others," he waved a hand. "No need to make a big show about it."

Instead of immediately obeying orders Slatkinn threw his burden to the ground with an irritated slam.

A sore moan and a couple curses emitted from the heap of meat and Aiden couldn't help but notice something painfully familiar about the voice.

He turned back around and lifted the body up from the ground by its scraggly dark hair. He twisted the neck around towards him.

The scrawny face of John Sheppard looked back at him through cloudy eyes and a bloody smirk.


	12. Chapter 12

_AN: So I've decided to try and make Thursdays my updating days. And if I miss a Thursday, I apologize. _

_Also, thank you so much for the reviews I have received lately - they are very inspiring and very much appreciated! It seems like a majority of you are truly enjoying this story so I do intend on finishing._

_Please keep reviewing!_

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><p>Sam's mind spun faster. Now that Sheppard was exposed, it was only a matter of time until the rest of the operation was completely uncovered and all of the agents would be in the exact same place as him – on their knees, at the mercy of a crazed drug addict.<p>

She pulled her hood over her head slyly. Everyone was focused on the situation with John and she was able to move slightly more than before. She looked around to the other women in the expedition near her.

The colonel was pleased to see that they all had their eyes fixed on her – waiting for their orders.

If only she could give them some. For now, they just had to wait.

Ford wasn't a predictable man – especially at his current condition.

Neither was Sheppard.

xXx

He went over and over in his head whether or not he had taken anything that might have made him hallucinate.

Perhaps the blow to his head – and other body parts – finally did his brain in.

He couldn't be really seeing what he saw.

But the apparition didn't fade away as it usually did those nights it usually appeared to him – either in a drunken stupor or in feverish nightmares.

Her image had always been so crystal clear, he had thought. He had focused long and hard in order to make her seem as real as possible whenever he thought of her – he didn't want to forget a feature on her face.

But now he could see that the picture in his mind was far from accurate.

She was older. Her face wasn't as tight and smooth as it had been. Her cheeks were hollow and her eyes seemed smaller.

She looked like she'd been through hell.

He felt a pang in his heart as he saw her eyes search his.

He knew she'd find nothing there – barely a glimpse of the man he used to be.

She could always see right through him into his soul. And right now, with her staring at him, he could feel the walls he had erected in front of himself beginning to peel away as she slowly shook him down with her eyes.

He felt like she could see everything now – she could see his past and what he had become.

She could see him slamming down his chicken scratch of a note of resignation on General O'Neill's desk.

She could see him snapping at McKay, and all of his friends.

She could see him slowly drinking his days and nights away – pretending not to care but caring so deeply that it was ripping his very being into shreds.

He tried to communicate with his eyes that he was sorry – for everything.

But the realization of her actually being there still hadn't kicked in and he was trying to reason what had happened.

All he could focus on after that was the fact that she was alive.

_Teyla's alive._

Then he felt his face pull back into a weak smile.

She looked too pained to return the gesture but he could tell that she was happy to see him. But her concerned expression made his smile fade and he forced himself to look back up at Aiden.

The young man had watched the silent exchange between the two, as well as everyone else in the entire encampment.

John had no idea how long it had lasted. Time was foggy and the pain in his jaw was beginning to throb mercilessly.

He took that as a good sign.

"Looks like you two have a lot of catching up to do," Ford drawled, his face panning into a neutral expression.

"You and I do too, don't we?"

A reluctant smirk appeared on Aiden's face for only half a second, but Sheppard saw hope.

"Nothing's changed since last we met," he shook his head. "I've been the same old. How about you?"

Taking advantage of the mock chit-chat, John eagerly dove in. "Oh, you know, pretty much the same too – sightseeing and whatnot. Thought I'd visit some old friends –

Ford laughed, but this time it didn't give him as much comfort. "You really expect me to believe you're here alone, Sheppard?"

Panic started to set in at the pit of his stomach but instincts took over and he threw in a casual chuckle. "I mean, I sure wish I wasn't, but it's hard to find a whole lot of volunteers willing to go to New Athos for a three month visit. No offense to the people here, but there's not a lot of tourist attractions. I suggested a Ferris wheel but –

"Stop. Just stop." Aiden waved his hand as he covered his face with the other. He walked away a distance. Silence prevailed until he spoke again:

"I did hope to see you again," he smiled painfully. "I wanted to show you how far I've come."

He threw up his hands, gesticulating to the brutes placed sporadically across the village. "This is what I've become."

Knowing it was a risk, John went ahead anyway. "A thief?"

The young man suddenly looked very earnest. "No – I've created a culture, Sheppard." He leaned down towards him, holding out his hands. "In fact, I even named them after you."

"What?"

He stood up again and smiled broadly. "We're called Sheppard's Team."

"Wait," Sheppard's teeth began to grind, "you mean you've been pillaging helpless villages across the galaxy all in _my_ name?"

Ford seemed unaffected by his quick change in tone and only nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. And I've commanded them faithfully. And we've prospered!"

"At innocent peoples' expense!"

His face hardened. "You don't understand. I had to."

"No, you didn't have to!" he could feel his temper rising, but it was hard to restrain himself after hearing all the crap spewing from this formerly good man's mouth. "There is _always _a choice, Ford!"

He realized he was standing now, his hands gesturing widely as he unleashed all of his frustration. "You never were forced to hurt anyone or to steal anything! You had a choice! You had a choice to come back with me before and you didn't! You had a choice to let us help you but you ran away!"

"I'm a good soldier!" he shouted back.

"You are _NOT _a soldier!" Sheppard screamed. He felt every vein in his body pop and his face felt hot. He lowered his voice slightly but still maintained his firm stance. "A soldier protects. You have not protected anyone but yourself and your addiction. And look what you've done to them all," he pointed to the other unrealistically large men in the village, all wielding weapons, "you've fed them the same stuff you can't get off so you don't feel alone. Don't tell me you're a soldier, Ford, because you're not. You are a coward. And until you get help and stop recruiting people into your goddamn cult, you will always be one."

After his fuel had run out, he quickly realized what a horrible mistake he had made.

It seemed that nothing he had said had sunk in and Aiden looked furious.

Without him uttering a single order, the beast who had escorted him out of the woods graciously body slammed him back down to the ground.

As he was being pulled back up, he saw Ford point his weapon at one of the women. He looked at Sheppard.

"Would a coward do this?"

And from underneath her cloak, John caught a quick glimpse of Sam.

xXx

"Ford, don't!"

The look of terror in his former superior's eyes gave Aiden a dark thrill.

He had had his moment. And in that moment, he actually felt like he was being dressed down by his CO.

Part of him relished that old feeling, but then his ego started taking a few blows that he preferred not to happen in front of his men.

Who did he think he was? Calling him a coward?

Aiden Ford was many things but he was not a coward.

Would a coward defeat all odds in conquering his little corner of the galaxy? Would a coward raid multiple Wraith hideouts and ships to apprehend needed substances? No.

If anything, _this_ man was the coward.

Where had he been?

Hiding out in New Athos by himself – that is, if his story was true. Why hadn't he fought to protect these people last time he came by? Some hero he made himself out to be. He also looked frail and unhealthy. He was like a sickly doppelganger of the Sheppard he used to know.

Ford guessed that the only reason they were reunited is because one of his men found the man cowering in some man hole.

Smirking at his newfound convictions, he cocked his weapon at his target.

John's eyes widened in fear and he started stuttering. "Don't do it!"

Aiden smiled. That would always be his downfall, compassion for people he didn't know anything about.

Besides, what was he freaking out about? It was only one woman. And it was the only person he planned on executing that day– just to make an example. Just to prove that he wasn't a coward and that Sheppard was wrong about him.

As the seconds ticked by, he watched as the thin man on the ground began to squirm anxiously.

"Didn't expect this one did you, Colonel Sheppard?" He let the use of his rank slip slowly through his lips. He knew he couldn't possibly hold that title anymore, and hopefully it would serve the purpose of crushing the man's spirit.

"No, because I expected better from you," he was pleading now, his eyes glancing far too often at the woman's face.

"You expected better of a coward?" Ford chuckled and then grew solemn. "Your mistake."

Just before he pulled the trigger, John shouted.

"It's Colonel Carter!"

As soon as he said it, it was obvious he regretted it because his eyes fell to the ground and he gritted his teeth in self-hatred.

"What?"

After he finally processed what he said, Aiden fell to his knees and tore off the woman's hood, of which he'd been so grateful of before.

The face of Colonel Samantha Carter glared back at him and he felt his innards churn.

He had only met the woman a couple times: once at a visit to his training center and the second time when he requested entry into the Atlantis program.

She had told him that he was "promising" and that she thought he would be a valuable addition to the Atlantis expedition because of his "outstanding performance and loyalty to his comrades and his country".


	13. Chapter 13

_So I missed a couple Thursdays. Sorry about that. But I do appreciate the messages in the meantime! So here it is! I tried uploading it last night but my internet connection failed. I hope you enjoy!_

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><p>Night had fallen and the camp became even more restless. Under cover of darkness anything could happen and both sides were stressed.<p>

Ford hadn't killed Samantha Carter. For what reason, she was still unsure. But when she saw the look in his eyes as he realized it was her, she saw – just for a brief moment – a glimpse of the boy she once gave a glowing recommendation. She wondered if it was too much to hope for a complete turn around and not to have to resort to Plan B of their mission.

In the meantime, the women and children had been moved to one of the larger huts. She hadn't seen where the men were being held but she hoped that they were fairly close.

It seemed that Aiden had temporarily given up on his scare tactic of killing them every hour that the location of the supplies was not given. Carter worried what would happen after he came down from his shock.

Hiding the provisions was a horrible idea on the Athosians part. It only made matters worse.

Of course, they weren't exactly doing anything she wouldn't do. What right did she have, demanding that they place complete trust in those who abandoned them just years ago?

That reminded her.

Teyla.

The former ambassador for Sheppard's team had been escorted into the same hut as the other women but Sam had hardly made any attempt at conversation. She was too busy running through strategies in her mind. All of them were a complete and utter failure at the moment on the account of being held hostage with no way out.

She looked around and saw the woman huddled into a corner with her son in her arms.

Making eye contact with the guard that held post at the entrance to the shelter, she stood up slowly. He watched her carefully but didn't seem too alarmed at her moving around so she relaxed and went to sit next to Teyla.

"Colonel Carter, it is good to see you," she whispered, careful not to show too much emotion as she coddled her child and kept a watchful eye on their vigil.

"Teyla," Sam let out a breath and could hardly keep her arms from reaching to envelope the other woman in a long overdue embrace. Instead, she focused her attention on the boy that was slowly falling asleep on her lap. She tentatively lifted a brown curl from his head and smoothed it away from his face. The child twitched but his eyes remained closed.

Carter wondered how long he had been without his mother. What kind of mental damage would result from that – for both the mother and the child?

She looked back to the courageous woman who was once so strong and healthy but was now weak with malnutrition and looked as though she had fought one too many battles. Her once young, vibrant eyes betrayed horrors even a woman such as Carter had not even seen.

The colonel wanted to apologize. Not just formerly, on behalf of the Air Force, her country, and her planet, but personally, for giving up what seemed like too quickly.

But she was unable to get any words out as she felt the tears well up in her eyes.

Teyla grasped her hand and spoke for her. "I knew in my heart that you would return."

xXx

John got the "special treatment", as he liked to call it. It wasn't out of the ordinary for off-world missions to wind up like this – him in a compromising position by himself whilst talking his way out of a dangerous and/or awkward situation.

However, that usually only happened when he had been in charge.

Ford must have thought he was still running the show.

He decided not to correct the crack-head. Sam had enough excitement for one day. Besides, whatever negotiations needed to be done with the ex-Lieutenant, Sheppard was sure that he was their best bet.

The particular hut they had shoved and cuffed him in was the stack-and-supply shelter for their expedition. The weapons had been hidden under piles of straw underneath stacks of nondescript boxes.

It took the brutes less than a minute to uncover their subterfuge and fuel their rage.

Luckily, Aiden had sent them off into the woods to shoot animals to work it off. A compassionate gesture, yes, but not one that caused John to go throwing his trust anywhere.

He inspected his bonds carefully. They weren't much – simple cloths wrung up tightly and then constricted around his wrists. The slack on the cloths was then secured onto a heavy metal stake they drove into the walls of the hut. The stake was at height with his shoulder blades if he were standing. But the position he was forced in – without breaking something – was that of an uncomfortable half-sitting dip. His heels scraped across the floor until he gave up and returned to the demeaning position of a crouching coward.

No doubt this was on purpose – planned and perfected for Ford to get his rocks off on being a prideful bastard.

He didn't like hearing what he heard – regardless of whether or not it was true.

Even before the addiction, Ford had problems admitting he was wrong or apologizing in certain situations – hell, in any situation. Usually, John had just waved the issue off and scribbled something haphazardly onto a report.

He cursed himself. Why hadn't he been a better CO? Why hadn't he laid down the law and guided the young lieutenant down the correct course of proper procedure and respect?

Maybe because he saw himself in Aiden. He saw the unruly lad he was when he first signed up for the Air Force just to get away from his father and brother. He didn't have any prior experience with respect to superiors. All of the authority figures in his life didn't deserve any so why the hell should he listen to what screaming Smoky the Bear had to say?

Gradually he learned that it wasn't only necessary in his job, it was also important. He never passed along that knowledge to Ford.

Now here he was, squatting on the floor like a child with his arms above his head, shaking and sweating in the sweltering heat. It had been a night and a day he'd been in there and the lack of water with the rising temperature didn't bode well for him.

Everything that had happened was his own fault. He should have realized that long ago and tried to rectify it.

Instead he wasted his time drinking away his sorrows and trying to forget about everyone that mattered to him.

All the while, Teyla was who-knows-where and Ford was gallivanting across the Pegasus Galaxy robbing from every poor mother in sight.

He left loose ends and never bothered to at least make sure someone else tied them up.

The door creaked open, and Sheppard attempted to situate himself into a less humiliating position. If he was going to have another face down with Aiden, he didn't want to look weak.

But then Teyla was there.

The sight threw him into an instinctive urge to stand up, forgetting the position of his arms only until the definite rip in his shoulders pushed him back into the hanging pose. He cried out in pain and in a moment her cool hands were on his face.

The feeling was so refreshing that he gave into the urge to turn his face into them, allowing the coolness to spread over his mouth and his cheeks. Realizing this, she pressed her delicate fingers against his skin and clicked disapprovingly.

She pulled away and he let out a small whimper of protest. But then he saw her reach for a canteen. Was it a canteen? He almost couldn't see anymore. The shelter had grown hotter by the hour and his mind was getting foggy.

It was water and she put it to his lips. He drank thirstily and then released, allowing the liquid to spill over him, relieving the burning sensation on his neck.

"John, can you hear me?" she asked.

He smiled. "Of course I can hear you."

"I need you to listen carefully."

Her hands were on his face again and though he was sufficiently cooled now, he still pressed his face against them. He wanted to feel her presence – he wanted to be certain that she was there. Everything was starting to feel like a dream but he had to hold onto this. He had to hold onto the fact that she was alive – that she was no longer missing.

He kept his eyes closed the entire time. He didn't want to see her face. He didn't want to see the years of pain manifested in the small wrinkles around her eyes or the few grey strands in her hair that resulted from copious amounts of stress. He didn't want to look into the face of his failure.

"John, listen to me!"

She was getting angry, but he didn't care. He could barely understand a word she was saying anymore but he was happy. She was there and that was all he needed. He wished for the moment to last for eternity – to feel her hand on his face for the rest of his life.

_Slap!_

The sting didn't register until after he had forced his eyes open and looked into the fierce and determined ones of hers.

"Why would you do that?" he groaned.

The look of regret was instantaneous and she reached out to him again, this time holding his head up to look to her.

"You need to tell Aiden…"

He was lost in her eyes now. The ones he was so afraid to look into before.

They were foggy and tired but they were definitely Teyla's. Yes they now had wrinkles, and yes they were red and puffy but in a way, they were beautiful.

"John, do you hear me?"

He shook his head and closed his eyes with a smile.

xXx

Teyla was shaking when she exited the shelter. She wanted so badly to speak with John and tell him how to get out of the predicament they were all in. Unfortunately, he was not lucid enough to even hear her.

"Well?" Ford stepped in front of her.

His face was stolid and expecting. He had sent her in there to gather information from him. She was more than willing to provide that information – knowing that her people were being ridiculous in their secrets. It would do no damage to hand over the supplies they had. Surely John and the rest would resupply their village. But she knew Halling – he was being stubborn. Nevertheless, it was at the cost of lives.

"I cannot get him to even look at me," she hissed. "The air is too warm and he is suffering from dehydration."

"Then we'll wait," he shrugged and turned around.

She pulled at his shoulder, forcing him to spin back around to face her. "You cannot do this!"

The reeling slap that came afterwards was unexpected and she stepped back, gaping in horror.

Aiden had never struck her.

Teyla saw regret in his eyes and he attempted to apologize by trying to blame his actions on the withdrawal he and his men were going through.

But she walked away. Whatever happened next would have to happen quick before the bereft men suddenly lost all inhibition.


	14. Chapter 14

_I'm sorry I'm so terrible at updating! But finals are coming soon which means school will be done soon which means more time to write :) Unfortunately, that also means that I should be studying more. I promise to try harder._

_Anyhow, I hope you enjoy! Please don't forget to leave a review!_

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><p>It was only after she was a good twelve meters into the woods that she realized she had left her child behind.<p>

The realization of her neglect worried her but she recognized the fact that taking charge of the child once again after so long was totally unnatural no matter how quickly her maternal instincts were snapping back into place.

Teyla turned slightly, questioning the urge to go back for him. But it was too late.

It was strange and fortunate that she was able to get this far without one of the men stopping her. She doubted such luck would be granted to her a second time.

Reassuring herself that Aiden would never hurt the child and that Colonel Carter would see to his needs while they were together in the hut, she pressed on.

Her people needed her. John needed her.

A chill ran up her spine as she recalled how he looked in the shelter.

He was years older than the phantoms of her dreams revealed to her. He was perfect in her mind and to see that accosted with the hard truth shook her.

Putting her hands on his face to cool him was only a pretense. She knew he longed to have physical confirmation that she was still alive and she felt the same.

Teyla and John had a relationship that nothing could ever come between. It was an odd, tense connection but it had all of the same intimacies and unspoken bonds as any other.

To be reunited was truly a gratifying feeling. If only he had been clear-headed enough to give her the information Ford was insisting.

For now, however, she would have to do with her own plan.

She had already drawn up a rough strategy the moment his arrangement to invade her people's villages was disclosed.

The Stargate.

She knew where it was. The only question was whether or not it was still active. And to where did she dial?

Atlantis? She wondered if such a place still existed and if it did, why did they never come for her until now?

Even now, she thought, her presence seemed to only have been a coincidence. She doubted their reason for coming to New Athos.

Her rescue mission was abandoned long ago though she struggled to imagine her friends agreeing with that conclusion.

The Gate was in view and she smiled to herself. The nostalgia that came over her at the sight of it was overwhelming.

A twig snapped.

She froze.

Turning, she saw Hargoth, his dull eyes blinking at her and his mouth twitching. Just as he made a sound of attack and began to lurch toward her, a familiar blue streak flew in front of her face and knocked him to the ground.

She was gone in an instant.

Wraith stunners.

xXx

_Damn that Teyla_, Aiden thought as he dragged a lifeless Sheppard out of the hut and beneath the shade of a tree. He ordered water for him and turned away, not wanting to be anywhere near the evidence of his weakness.

The look of disappointment and anger in her eyes struck him deeper than any knife ever could. He saw a glimpse of it when she learned of his plan to pillage her people, but he supposed that once she saw her dear friend on the brink of death, she snapped.

Ford tried to rationalize his decision by suggesting that Sheppard didn't know anything about the supplies. It wouldn't seem that the Athosians would tell what was left of the ex-colonel anything of value.

In the midst of his musings, angry shouts were heard around the corner and he rushed to investigate.

He was astonished to see the tall Runner he had met before struggling against men he would normally knock out in a heart beat if it weren't for their "advantages".

His cheek had a cut that was bleeding profusely and his right eye was swelling quickly. Whatever had happened had happened quickly.

And he looked furious.

Just as he was about to address the situation, a sniveling scientist peered out from behind the fracas, his eyes connecting with his only for a moment before he tried to slip back into oblivion.

"McKay!" he found himself shouting.

The shuffling stopped and all eyes turned to Rodney, who was slinking back into view with that trademark look of fear mixed in with superior rebellion.

"You're kidding," Aiden laughed, throwing his hands in the air. "It's a reunion!"

McKay said nothing and the Runner snarled.

Ford stepped up to the beast and looked him straight in the eye. "What's going on here?"

He struggled once against the grips of the other men before he hissed through his teeth his reply: "Where's Teyla?"

Aiden felt his heart skip a beat and the blood drain from his face. "What do you mean?"

"She's not with the other women," he growled impatiently, "I checked. What have you done with her?"

"We found him around their hut, sir," one of the men said as he continued to keep a stronghold on the restless animal. "He had a knife on him too."

That last detail was neither relevant nor did it surprise him, but it made him remember how resilient this man was and how hazardous of a prisoner he would be to keep for much longer.

"Shoot him," he said in a low voice.

"What?" that irritating nasal voice pierced the evening sky. Aiden turned to his opposition, but the little man's confidence was quavering as he faced him.

"We just wanted to know where our friend is," he stammered. "You know, the one that was your friend not so long ago as well?"

"She's in the hut," Ford scowled.

"She's not!" Rodney looked angry now. Aiden went over in his mind when he had last seen her.

She had walked off and he was too ashamed to see to it that she got back to her assigned quarters.

She escaped.

"I want all available parties in the woods!" he announced across the camp. "Look for Teyla and the hunting party! I don't want her harmed – bring her back in one piece."

Before anyone could obey, all heads were turned to a body arriving quickly back to camp.

"Aiden!" it screamed.

"Teyla," he heard the Runner murmur.

He stepped closer, trying to see in the dimming light. She was flying past trees and jumping over obstacles faster than he thought possible for someone in her condition. When she got close enough, he saw the look of pure fear in her face.

He had seen that face before – many times, in fact.

He knew before she even shouted: "Wraith!"

xXx

Rodney stood helpless as the camp suddenly became alive. Lounging soldiers on both sides were suddenly on their feet. Athosians huddled into groups and the women's hut erupted into a simultaneous wail.

They all knew the inevitable and so did McKay.

He gulped at the thought of becoming reacquainted with an old enemy he had hoped to never see again.

The electricity that had sparked the militaristic movement had caused Ronon's guards to release him as they hurried to prepare an attack against a much more brutal enemy.

Instead of fleeing, however, the Runner rushed toward Teyla, enveloping her in his arms as she flew near the speed of light into the camp.

She was shocked to see him – both of them, but her panic left little time for that as she hurried past them to the women's hut.

Her son.

"Get Sheppard," Ronon ordered as he reached for a carelessly placed weapon to join the others.

Rodney groaned inwardly at the thought of his task. It was doubtful that John was in his top physical condition and it would be up to the scientist to haul his ass to safety – not a favorite workout of his.

Amidst the bustle, he was able to locate the snoozing ex-colonel beneath a tree. How he managed to stay asleep during such ruckus was beyond him but he hurried to wake him nonetheless.

Sheppard groaned painfully and Rodney caught a glimpse of the physical scars left behind by one of the brutes, no doubt. He cringed empathetically but continued to pound on the man until he propped himself up on his elbows.

Suddenly, his eyes were open and he looked cognizant. For some reason, McKay waited as he watched John survey the situation.

He almost smiled as Sheppard quickly leapt to his feet and demanded an update.

"Wraith," Rodney panted.

"Teyla –

"She'll be okay," he assured.

But the scientist's word didn't seem to be enough and he vanished around the corner.

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><p><em>Please leave a review before leaving!<em>


	15. Chapter 15

_AN: Classes for me are done which means faster updates!_

_Enjoy!_

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><p>Everyone else turned into a vibrant blend of colors as Teyla pushed her way through the hut. They were screaming, scrambling to get as far away from the well-known threat as possible. Aiden's men did not push back.<p>

Once she heard the first pulse of a stunner, her adrenaline level reached a new height and she plowed her way over and under bodies until she reached the corner she had left her son in.

Empty.

She turned to see the throng of women all pressed against the doorway, leaving the rest of the shelter abandoned.

Her heart beating wildly, the frantic mother began turning over every object and realized that she was screaming her son's name above the wails of the others.

There was no sign of him.

"Teyla!"

She turned to see Samantha Carter, squeezing her way through the cluster with a large bundle in her arms.

"Torren!" Teyla breathed in relief and snatched her child away from her friend, only uncovering the blanket from his face for an instant for affirmation before covering him once again.

"I was looking for you," Carter gasped. "Where did they come from?"

She shook her head silently, still shaken by the momentary loss of her son. The sounds of the pulses were getting louder and so were the screams.

xXx

None of the huts John had searched housed Teyla or her child. Panic began to grip him as the sounds of the Wraith gun pulses increased in rapidity and the steady stream of fire from standard issue P-90s grew dimmer.

Right now, only Ford and his men were armed. The SG teams had been stripped of their weapons therefore left completely vulnerable and useless.

Nevertheless, like good soldiers, Sheppard saw them staying at the front lines with the brutes, keeping watch and grabbing the weapons of the fallen.

Meanwhile, he was cowering in the background, frantically searching for one person in a desperate attempt to regain mental stability.

Every second that she had disappeared from his sight, he began to question whether or not she had really been there.

It wasn't just about her safety anymore; he had to find her to return to sanity.

"Sheppard!"

John's intense thought processes prevented him from being totally aware and he nearly tripped over Aiden, who was assuming the military position on the ground as he returned fire.

For a moment, he simply stared at the young man. Finally, Ford reached up and yanked him to the ground.

"Are you crazy?" he shouted. "You're going to get hit!"

Sheppard shook himself to attentiveness. He had been directly in the line of fire.

He was half-aware of the fact that Aiden had placed a nine millimeter in his hand when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

About twenty meters down, there was a gap in men and the Wraith were taking advantage of it. Amidst the small group that snuck through, John couldn't help but notice that the one in the middle was sporting a short, spiked hair cut that awoke the deepest fear that Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard had ever known.

xXx

"We should help!" Teyla cried out as she hugged her child close to her. Torren had endured years of whatever had been done to him and as a result, was completely calm in such a situation. She almost wished he would scream.

Samantha sighed as she watched from a safe angle at the doorway. "There's nothing we can do. We don't have our weapons, and even if we did, someone has to stay with Torren."

The Athosian woman tried to block out the screams from her people but they were too powerful.

She turned away instead.

Suddenly, Colonel Carter stood up straight and backed away silently. Her hand was in the air and Teyla recognized the gesture used by Sheppard countless times.

_Wait, quiet._

Footsteps.

They were far too close to even begin to attempt to hide in the small shelter. The shadows were already cast at the foot of the doorway.

Two tall Wraith entered and Teyla's muscles contracted around Torren. But they didn't approach her. Instead, they stepped to the side as a familiar face swaggered inside.

"Teyla," he spoke. "You left before we had a chance to catch up."

"Michael," she hissed, still squeezing her child so tight that he began to cough. "You're supposed to be de –

"How is he?" he immediately directed his attention towards Torren, his eyes growing wide with hunger but it was not the same hunger that grew in the eyes of his guards.

No, Michael's objectives were far greater than that of his next meal. Perhaps his days as a human only served as an advantage for his leadership. That was something humans had that Wraith never did fully obtain even in the DNA of their Ancient ancestors.

Ambition.

It was what made him the most dangerous Wraith in the Pegasus galaxy.

She stepped away from him just as Carter made a move to stand between them.

He laughed that throaty laugh that came about once in awhile when a Wraith's dark humor was tickled in such a way. "I'm not going to feed on him," he said dismissively. He looked deep into Teyla's eyes. "I would never dream of it."

xXx

Rodney was thinking of a million adjectives for Sheppard at that moment.

The moron took off without so much as a suggestion as to where he could hide in safety.

Instead, he was stuck huddled behind one of the few trees on the plain. It wouldn't be long before he was discovered and he didn't have even a stick to defend himself with.

He let out some more whispered curses against John and his ancestors. Somehow, it made him feel better.

Then he spotted it – his opportunity.

About five meters down was one of Ford's brutes, laying still, his stolen P-90 weapon resting on his chest.

"This is it, Rodney," the scientist muttered to himself as he began a military-style crawl towards his target. He'd seen Sheppard do it a thousand times but it was always after the first few drags that McKay felt too winded to continue in that fashion.

Finally, he gave up and began to jog in a hunched over position until he finally met the body.

He cringed as the man's aged, lifeless face came into view. Instinctively, he looked around to make sure that the same Wraith wasn't still around, looking for another entrée to sate his hunger.

When he made sure that the closest Wraith was at least fifty meters away, he returned his attention to the weapon, swept it up in his arms and took off running in the opposite direction.

He wasn't sure what he was looking for when he began to search the huts. But when he picked up the unmistakable deep bass of a Wraith voice, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Leaning on the outside of the hut where it was coming from, he scooted closer and closer to the entrance. As he neared, he could begin to hear the conversation.

"You imprisoned my son and I for years!" a female voice accused. "You abused us, tortured us, and did not ever let me hold him!"

_Teyla!_ Rodney caught his breath.

"I assure you it was all necessary," the Wraith voice replied, "I had to continue my research which was ended so prematurely last time."

"You will never take us again, Michael," Teyla hissed back. "I will not let you ever touch him."

_Michael? _McKay's head suddenly began to swim. This was all too much to take in one day.

"I'm afraid that's not up to you," Michael replied. He must have taken a step forward because suddenly the sounds of Teyla's child screaming echoed inside the shelter and struck his ear drum.

That sound made something click inside the scientist. He realized now that more than his life was at stake and he had to do something.

_No more cowardly McKay,_ Rodney shook his head. _It's time to be a hero!_

Squeezing his eyes shut, he turned to step in front of the door. Opening one eye only for a moment, he trained his weapon on the first Wraith he saw and fired.

xXx

Carter had seen McKay at the door moments before he made his grand entrance. The untrained scientist, trying as hard as he may have, was exposing his left shoulder and the butt of his gun the entire two minutes he stood there. It was lucky for him that the Wraith's backs were turned towards the door.

She managed to only keep her peripheral vision on him, not wanting to give away possibly her and Teyla's only chance of escape.

It didn't seem to matter however, since the only thing Michael seemed to be paying attention to was the frightened child clutching on to his mother.

Then it happened.

Rodney tried.

Firing blindly, he managed to get a bullet into one of the two Wraith guards, momentarily stunning everyone but hardly causing much damage.

Sam took advantage of the moment and swung a deadly kick towards the dazed drone, loosening his grasp on the weapon.

She grabbed a hold of it and bayoneted him with it in an instant. Turning the brute with the object, she fired off two shots towards the other guard standing directly behind his comrade.

He didn't seem phased at all and continued forward. The sound of a round of bullets, though, ended his retaliation.

The Colonel immediately turned her attention towards Michael, but he was already on the ground.

Sam released her hold on the Wraith weapon, allowing the large body of the drone to fall to the ground as she witnessed something that would be ingrained in her mind forever.

Teyla, child clutching her tightly onto her back, was on top of the Wraith leader, viciously stabbing with what looked like the knife that had been strapped to his belt.

She was screaming like a mad woman as she struggled against his super strength.

Carter quickly saw McKay attempting to target and shoot but she stopped him. Teyla was too close and Rodney was no sharp shooter.

It wasn't long before Michael lay still but Teyla was still stabbing, the oddly colored Wraith blood flying onto her face and into her hair.

Her screams had turned to loud sobs as she continued to throw her weapon at him.

Sam could see the years of pain and horror on her face as she continued to attempt to kill them too.

It took a minute before she finally began to peel Teyla away from the corpse of the creature who had caused her and her child so much pain.

Torren, still holding tightly to his mother's back was crying even louder now, streaks of Wraith blood matting his own dark curls as well.

The Athosian woman was suddenly shaken back into reality as she held her son, still crying.

"It's done, Teyla," Carter assured, "he's dead."

She nodded and closed her eyes.

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><p><em>Please remember to review! :)<em>


	16. Chapter 16

_AN: Hi! Next chapter is here! I was so happy with how many reviews I got on the last one! You guys are great at telling me what you think! I love it! _

_Only one more chapter so don't get your panties in a twist :)_

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><p>Sheppard leaned back on his heels, dropping his weapon at his side.<p>

Michael was there.

Suddenly, everything made sense. Michael had taken Teyla and Torren. And now he was back to take her again.

He couldn't let that happen.

"I have to go back!" he shouted to Ford, who was concentrated intently on his fire.

He glanced back at him only for a second before returning his attention to the fire fight. "What? What for?"

"Michael's here!" he replied, his breath picking up pace and his head suddenly swimming again. The dehydration symptoms were returning. "I have to find Teyla!"

Aiden seemed confused by his words as he stared at him. Suddenly, his expression changed into urgent as he looked up. "Sheppard, look out!"

John's thoughts were too groggy and his body still so slow that it took him a moment to realize that Ford had knocked him down to the ground.

His eyes opened to reveal a foggy vision of his gun scooting even farther away from him. He turned his head to see a horrible sight.

A Wraith had Aiden pinned against the log they had been taking cover behind, slowly sucking out his life. In an attempt to counter the attack, he had his hands around the wrist of the feeding hand, but even his enzyme-induced strength was no match against the real thing.

Trying to regain his thoughts, Sheppard began to attempt to get to his weapon, but it was not within his reach. He stood up and immediately collapsed to the ground from dizziness.

Cursing his weakness, he began to crawl. His fingers stretched out farther and farther as he inched nearer towards the gun. Behind him, he could hear Ford's screams of terror and pain. He tried to move faster but his pounding head was barely keeping him conscious as it was.

Finally, his fingers tightened around the cool metal of the barrel and he turned on his back to face the enemy. He was thankfully lucid enough to remember how to shoot and he fired off a couple of rounds into the ugly son-of-a-bitch's side.

The Wraith finally fell limp, but his feeding hand remained attached to Aiden's chest.

John remembered finding him like this back at Atlantis – just before the life of Lieutenant Aiden Ford had ended and the life of the mad leader of "Sheppard's Team" had begun.

But it was different this time. Both lives were ending – quickly.

He looked to see Ford's face thinned out and wrinkled, his hair white, and his one visible eye glazed over.

Sheppard slumped to his knees beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't…you're…okay," he managed to say, though the amount of strain in his voice from speaking was enough to give away the lie.

Aiden's head shook with tension as he turned to look at him.

"Sheppard…" His haggard voice pierced John's heart. It was almost a whisper and he had to lower his ear closer to his mouth. Once he was closer, Ford's hand gripped his tunic with surprising strength and pulled him even closer.

"I've decided…to come home," he told him. "If…you'll give me…another…chance."

He was now gasping for air and John grasped his old friend's hand. "_**Everyone**_deserves another chance."

Sheppard could barely see past the wrinkles but he thought he saw a smile as Aiden nodded. "Even you..."

John felt the grip on his shirt loosen. Ford's withered hand fall to the ground. As his life ended, he continued to look straight into his old CO's eyes.

The bleariness was fading away as his adrenaline began to pump through his system, awaking every nerve and every sensation. Desperation took him as he began to grab a hold of Ford's vest and try to shake him back to life. But he never moved.

"Ford!" he pleaded, feeling the tears well up in his eyes as he realized what was happening.

His chance to redeem one of his biggest failures of his life was now gone.

He reached out a shaky hand to close the man's eye and reached under the patch on his other to close that one as well. He ran his hands through his hair and pulled at the roots. His vision was blurring again but the anger that had begun to coarse through his veins was keeping him awake.

"NO!" he shouted. He slammed his fist to the ground and stood up to kick at the body of the Wraith, feeding hand still attached to the dead soldier, as though fused together for eternity.

He continued to kick as one of the brutes came over from his position.

Sheppard barely noticed him until the other man began to shout louder than him, informing the rest of his comrades that their leader was dead.

A resounding wailing scream permeated the valley as the others joined in the angry mourning. Then something changed.

The livid men stood now, stalking towards their enemy with no fear of death. Several fell as they were attacked but the remaining continued to march forward until they were able to capture their opponent in hand-to-hand combat.

John's foggy mind couldn't make sense of it all so he returned to breaking every single bone in the dead Wraith's body, shouting angry curses as he went.

xXx

After Teyla had reluctantly given Anina charge of her child, and given her strict instructions to run to the abandoned village, she joined with Carter and McKay to finish the battle.

The unusual encounter with Michael had given her strength and courage – enough fuel to sustain her for several hours of fighting.

Carter picked up a weapon from a body of one of Ford's men just as McKay had but Teyla remained armed with a Wraith stunner.

The skirmish had increased in volume and they were finally able to find out why. Most of Ford's men had abandoned their weapons and the ones that still had them were using them as clubs in physical combat.

They were powered by rage but the Wraith seemed to maintain the upper hand as they began to quickly take out the brutes even faster than before.

Teyla's attention was suddenly diverted to the scene in front of her.

"John!" she cried out and rushed towards him. But his arm flew back, forcing her back as he pounded mercilessly into a Wraith.

She looked closer and saw that there was a body attached to the feeding hand of the Wraith. Upon closer inspection, she recognized the aged face of Aiden Ford.

Now understanding Sheppard's rage, she tried to reason with him but he would not listen to her words. McKay and Carter had taken up positions nearby, attempting to hold back the enemy still but Teyla could see that the Wraith were taking advantage of the men's senseless fury and slowly approaching.

She could not get near him as the ex-colonel carried on in pain and grief, continually beating on the corpse. She realized how insane she must have looked as she had continued letting out her rage on the dead body of Michael. And she also realized there would be no stopping John's fit at this point. She knew he must still have been suffering from the effects of the dehydration. That, mingled with recent events, was a recipe for anyone to lose their senses.

"We're losing!" she heard Rodney shout to Colonel Carter.

"Keep firing!" she shouted back.

Teyla looked up to see that indeed the Wraith were advancing rather quickly toward them now.

But then she saw their salvation.

Taking cover next to them, she pointed.

Coming from the east was Halling, leading the Athosian men, all armed with the weapons that they had hidden away.

She could see the pain-stricken face on Jinto's father, even from such a distance. She knew that this would be his revenge.

The Athosians began to fire, taking out the Wraith quickly. Some pointed their heavier weapons to the sky and began to take down the darts and then rushing towards the wreckage to finish the job.

Even Carter and McKay stopped firing when they realized how pointless it would have been.

The Wraith were down to only a handful and they were dropping quickly. What was left of Ford's men were now backing up, allowing the Athosians to handle the job.

It wasn't long before the last Wraith was taken down and the shout of victory ripped across the village.

Teyla turned to see that John had ceased his futile beatings and was looking around in shock, but the despair was still seemingly permanently etched onto his face.

She hurried towards him and tried to talk to him but he did not respond. He only stared at the events.

The Athosians were severing the head and limbs of the Wraith, assembling the parts to be burned while others were disarming Ford's men.

Teyla noticed Ronon, who had recovered his stolen weapon, pointing it at one of the brutes. He was pleading for mercy and sputtering out apologies but the Runner seemed determined to finish his task.

Knowing there was nothing worth doing she turned away.

"STOP THAT!"

Turning back, she saw Sheppard stand up and rush towards Ronon, who was too stunned to resist him pulling his weapon from him.

"None of that!" he shouted in the Satedan's face. He turned to everyone else who had stopped doing whatever they were doing to watch. "No one is to touch these men!"

Regaining his awareness, Ronon stepped toward him. "Sheppard…"

"No one!" he repeated, facing him for only an instant before returning his attention to everyone else.

"Everyone is going back alive," he stated. He sounded confident and in command. Although Teyla and everyone else knew he was not, they all began to obey and step back from the brutes.

"They were going to kill us," Ronon interjected again, his voice filled with confused anger. "If they were in our position they would –

"But they're not are they?" John whirled back around. "Who are we if we aren't any better than them?"

He walked back over to Aiden's body and pointed. "He was going to come back."

When everyone looked away in doubt, he insisted. "He was!"

"John," Sam finally stepped in. "We were sent here to stop him and his men no matter the cost. You knew that."

Teyla saw Sheppard's clenched fists shake as he replied, his voice quivering. "This was my mistake."

Carter shook her head. "No, it wasn't…"

"Yes, it was!" he yelled. "Ford was my…my charge. I taught him everything." He stopped to smirk darkly. "He even named his goddamned team after me.

"Everything he did was to impress me. I should have seen that when we first saw him. I shouldn't have said those things and I shouldn't have…" he stopped to regain composure and fixated his eyes on Teyla, "I shouldn't have given up. I shouldn't have just sat by and let things happen but I did."

She shook her head, trying to convey that she did not blame him for anything that had happened but he did not seem to take comfort.

"I was his leader, his CO," his voice broke and he cleared his throat, "and I let him down. If I had –

"No one could have predicted that any of that would happen, John," Carter tried again. "His behavior, his actions, that all happened as a result of the enzyme. Not you."

But he was still delirious with devastation and continued to protest. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

"He had a second chance," Ronon remarked with crossed arms.

"Then a third one!" Sheppard went on. "Or a fourth or a fifth! Anyone can change."

Carter shook her head. "Not Ford. We knew that before we came. I had strict orders to shoot on sight. Lieutenant Aiden Ford died a long time ago."

Teyla wished the colonel had not told John that in his current state. Suddenly, his whole condition changed and he looked shocked as he staggered back. "This wasn't a reconnaissance mission then. You lied. You all lied."

Before Carter could say another word, John finally fell to the ground.

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><p><em>Please remember to leave a review!<em>


	17. Chapter 17

_AN: I feel like I should hide behind something right now because I'm so embarrassed. I was all, "oh yeah guys I have so much free time now so the next chapter will be up real soon, no sweat!" and a couple weeks later I was all, "oh, I haven't published squat like I promised..." PLEASE forgive me. _

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy the final installment of Checkmate. I hope it shocks you but still satisfies. And I also hope that you leave a review telling me what you think because I really do want to know! Thanks for being such patient readers! You guys are awesome!_

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><p>The courtroom lights seemed abnormally bright but perhaps his eyes had just readjusted quickly to the gloominess of his prison cell.<p>

He couldn't believe his own thoughts but that's exactly where he wished he was at that point.

There was no point in investing any hope in his case. He didn't have the energy or the will.

When John had learned that his trial would be held in a special court for those who had been on special missions, in which the cases reviewed contained sensitive information, he had thought it might have given him a better chance.

But it turned out that a group of his peers surrounding him only made his inevitable fate seem more real.

He was tired of looking at the sea of faces with disappointment engraved into their faces but the twisted face of the opposing attorney was an even worse sight.

Sheppard had told his testimony at least four times to the prosecuting attorney, Claude Whitehead, who insisted on bringing up details that he didn't even think to consider as important before. For instance, was the supposed criminal who had _actually_ committed the crime injured in any fashion?

How the hell was he supposed to know? He didn't want to admit it, but there were very few details he could remember from that night – not just from the concussion he had received but also from the fact that he was continuously drunk during that time.

The Air Force had been true to their word and Colonel Carter had tried to give the best character witness she could. She was insistent that he had changed and that the mission was a success because of him.

John had never taken Carter for a liar but he wondered what made her think that she owed him one.

If anything, he was a liability and a handicap to the entire mission. He hardly helped. Even in the last few hours of the mission he had simply been a delirious maniac making senseless speeches in the midst of psychological trauma.

Dr. Deveaux had cleared him as mentally sane – despite his own theories – which meant that he was available for any and all poundings the justice system could dream up.

"Mr. Sheppard," the short whiny man pounded on the witness stand, jolting the barely present John into consciousness, "I asked you a question."

Resisting the urge to deliver a sharp sarcastic remark, Sheppard simply cleared his throat and asked him to repeat the question.

"I asked you how you would describe your lifestyle in the past five years," he sneered, obviously elated to hear his predictable answer.

John just glared at him. "You mean the depression I'd been struggling with because I believed one of my closest friends to be dead, and that the organization I had worked so hard for had become a complete flop in my eyes because of their lack of action when necessary?"

His opponent smirked. "That's not an answer, Mr. Sheppard."

Sighing in defeat, John leaned into the microphone in front of him and repeated the words he'd memorized verbatim over the past few weeks. "My lifestyle for the past five years consisted of drinking, pouting, weekly chess games with Dr. McKay, and not much else."

Gloating, the little man ended his questioning and returned to his seat.

Woolsey stood and buttoned his jacket. He nodded to the guards to escort Sheppard back to his seat.

To be honest, John never would have expected Richard's willingness to represent him. He thought that his former boss, along with everyone else, believed him to be guilty. But so far, he seemed to be trying his best, which was more than Sheppard could ever ask from anyone anymore.

As he took his seat, he watched Woolsey consult with the residing judge while the prosecuting attorney listened intently and then began to protest in an angry whisper.

Woolsey looked adamant however, and the judge finally held out a hand and nodded.

Wearing a triumphant grin, Richard returned to his spot next to John and announced. "Your Honor, I would like to call another witness to the stand – Dr. Rodney McKay."

Sheppard furrowed his brow in confusion as he turned to see the scientist solemnly walking up the isle towards the witness stand.

How could he be a witness? Unless he was going to attempt something akin to Carter's endeavor?

John shook his head. Just another chump trying to convince the jury that 'really, John Sheppard was an upstanding guy and even though he's had his ups and downs he would never do anything like this…'. Nobody bought the Colonel's so why should anyone buy McKay's?

When he looked at Rodney though, something felt off about his countenance. The scientist was looking wildly around the room, he was rubbing his hands together, and a sheet of perspiration was quickly emerging on his forehead.

What did he have to be so nervous about?

Then their eyes connected and Sheppard caught his breath. He knew that look.

Guilt.

xXx

**Earlier**

Rodney had only sweated in dire situations and those circumstances usually contained Kolya, a sticky Wraith cocoon, or the utter destruction of the city of Atlantis.

But here he was sitting in a perfectly normal waiting room in a perfectly normal business office with a perfectly normal secretary giving him strange looks as she repeatedly told him "he will be with you in a moment".

Doubts and seconds thoughts had clouded his mind for the entire mission and back. But he realized that it was too late for any of those things. His selfish, fear-filled mind had committed to something that he couldn't back out of.

When the secretary finally directed him through the large double doors, McKay felt like his insides might explode.

Suddenly he recognized what a huge mistake he had made.

But once again – it was far too late. That small comment about something possibly happening to Jennifer had sealed the deal and Rodney was in deep.

A tall, graying man was standing in front of his desk, as if eagerly awaiting the scientist's arrival. Three other men were in the room, all with the same look of greedy apprehension.

McKay hadn't changed his clothing since he returned from the mission. He had been given strict instructions by Nikki not to do so, though he suddenly smelled the evidence of his intense workout over the past few hours become intensified with the growing stress levels.

That thought made him realize something. "Where's Nikki?" he asked.

"I'm afraid Ms. Kent is indisposed at the moment," he said coolly. "She's working on an underground case."

Rodney gulped. He had seen enough mafia movies to know what that meant and he decided to end the questioning on that topic.

Noticing his sudden nervousness, the tall graying man stepped forward and shook the scientist's hand. "I'm glad to see you made it back safely, Dr. McKay. We were beginning to worry."

"I'm sure my safety was your number one priority," he muttered.

"I'm Cale," he finally introduced himself, ignoring his remark, "your employer. Sorry we haven't properly met before."

Rodney smiled half-heartedly in reply but didn't know what else to say.

"Here," Cale snapped his fingers and one of his comrades stepped toward McKay. "Allow us to make you more comfortable."

This was it. They were coming for his main source of information.

The burly man that was sent forward reached purposefully towards the scientist's collar and detached the small camera.

Rodney let out an inward sigh of relief when he walked away after that.

Luckily, his prediction on the imbeciles' knowledge of audio/visual devices was correct. It was limited.

Stuffing the remaining wire further beneath his BDU jacket, he watched as the camera was handed towards another one of the men who stepped towards the big screen television located on the opposite side of the office.

McKay realized that this Cale wasted no time when it came to debriefing and the footage was thrown up on the screen immediately.

He watched as they zipped through the videos of Athosian villages and meal times but paused and rewound on the recordings of the Stargate, Wraith darts, and up close and personal encounters with the vicious aliens themselves.

"Simply remarkable," Cale said in awe. He looked towards Rodney with a pleased smile. "You did perfectly."

The scientist didn't even attempt to return the smile as he watched in horror at what he had done.

The video was now fast-forwarded to Sheppard's delirious rant about second chances and whatnot and a small chuckle erupted from the other man.

"I do apologize for the inconvenience of your former leader," he sighed, crossing his arms. "We did attempt to remove that variable from the equation."

Rodney's brows perked up. "Sorry, what?"

Cale looked at him in surprise as though he hadn't really noticed that he was saying anything quite so astonishing. "Oh, we were worried about how Sheppard's presence might compromise your cover so when we learned of the plans to recruit the old team. We tried to set him up so that he'd be…well, otherwise occupied."

McKay did his best to keep his shock under control as he continued questioning. "What do you mean?"

He looked amused that the scientist didn't know what he was talking about as he continued on. "You know the whole murder incident at the liquor store? One of our operatives attempted to frame him. It went as planned but unfortunately, his superiors still wanted him to tag along. It didn't go swimmingly but at least it kept him out of a command position."

Rodney tried to keep his balance as the sudden understanding came screaming at him.

Sheppard was innocent.

All this time when he had been so frightened – he was just a depressed alcoholic. Not a murderer!

McKay began to wonder why he had ever believed such a thing. John had been many things but never a cold-blooded killer!

And now his future was ruined because of this man.

"Well, he didn't compromise anything," he managed to eek out. "At least we can say that."

Cale chuckled. "I'll say. He was far too busy dealing with his own battles it seems. What is this he's screaming about now?"

Rodney looked up at the screen to see the haggard Sheppard pleading to let Ford's men have another chance.

Instead of a crazed drunk, John now seemed more like the desperate, grieving ex-soldier that he was.

"I don't know," McKay murmured as he turned away.

xXx

It was obvious that Sheppard was already aware that something was up. The odd, crinkled brow look he was giving Rodney was enough to make the scientist break eye contact and stare at the ground.

After he had told Woolsey everything, he knew he was making the right decision. Now it was time for the moment of truth – literally.

"Dr. McKay," Richard began, gently placing a hand on the witness stand. "Can you tell me what the repercussions for treason are for a government employee such as yourself?"

That was not a question they had gone over earlier and the thought of the answer was beginning to make his head swim.

But one look at John and he knew he had to continue – because if anyone should endure that fate, it should be the true criminal.

"Lifetime imprisonment," he responded quietly. "And in some cases…the death penalty."

He stole a look at Sheppard and immediately wished he hadn't. The sudden look of realization on the man's face made his heart seem to pound out of his chest.

Woolsey cleared his throat. "Would you please tell the people of the jury your second agenda on the recent away mission to New Athos?"

But McKay refused to look into the face of anyone. Instead, he told the floor. "I was offered a second secret schema to tape footage of the Stargate program and to bring it back to an underground agency who has attempted to bring the program to the public for years."

The foreseen reaction swept across the audience and with every gasp of surprise, the scientist felt a pang of guilt twist his stomach.

Rodney was mildly aware of the prosecutor standing up to object and a couple of soldiers coming forward to make the arrest but Richard stopped them all.

"Please," he looked towards the judge. "Dr. McKay was willing to make this testimony under the knowledge that he would be properly punished. But he also has valuable information to contribute to this case because of his recent activities."

The judge hesitated but allowed it.

Realizing that time was now limited, Woolsey dropped the professional tone and asked, "Do you have it with you?"

McKay nodded silently and pulled out the camera from behind his jacket. He placed it on the witness stand.

Questions of how he was able to get into the courtroom fluttered over his head. He felt guilty for using his notoriety to skip a pat-down but he knew it was necessary as well.

"What is that?" the Honorable Williams asked, his own curiosity besting the rules of the trial.

"A recording device," Rodney finally spoke, still avoiding looking into any face, "the same one that was used for the espionage on the mission to New Athos."

"Dr. McKay," the judge continued. "You do know that turning yourself in does not merit acquitting you of your crimes?"

The scientist nodded as he leaned forward to open the device. Woolsey reached into his briefcase to pull out the necessary equipment – a laptop and a couple speakers.

Thankfully, no questions were asked as he hurried his task and set up his instruments. Finally, he was ready.

"I still had the audio recording component clipped onto me after they took the camera memory," he told them. "I was going to use it to simply put them out of business after turning myself in but I didn't expect them to reveal this."

He hit play and let the new evidence sink in.

Cale's voice affirming John's innocence made him feel slightly better but it also reminded him of what he had done and the shame made him dip his head even lower.

Sheppard's face remained stolid and unreadable. Woolsey, who had already heard the recording, feigned surprise and consideration while the jury whispered to each other in astonishment.

Once the recording stopped, the courtroom went into an uproar.

Two MPs were already gripping the scientist by either arm while Prosecutor Whitehead was petitioning for sometime to combat the new evidence. Meanwhile, Williams was banging his gavel wildly and Woolsey was gesticulating crazily towards the jury.

In the midst of all this, McKay looked at John once more.

He couldn't tell for sure, but he thought he saw the glint of a tear in one of his eyes.

xXx

"It's your move."

"You don't think I know that?" the inmate snapped, slamming his pawn onto the board with such force that it knocked over his own queen. Sighing, he replaced her position and looked up apologetically. "Sorry."

Sheppard waved his hand. "You're under a lot of stress. Trust me, I can relate."

Raising his brows in agreement, Rodney's head fell to his arms as he waited for his opponent's next move. "Tell me, has it changed much on the outside?"

John looked at his friend in disbelief. "Rodney, you've been in here for two weeks."

"It feels like an eternity," he rubbed his eyes and looked at the lone guard standing watch. "I miss pissing in private."

Sheppard didn't respond but made his move and leaned back with his arms crossed. "You'll be pleased to know that the SGC has officially finished damage control on the leaked footage."

McKay grimaced but nodded as he looked at the board. "Good."

"And they finally found him."

Rodney looked up, "the guy that framed you?"

John nodded and stared at the board as well. "Yep, I identified him yesterday."

Silence followed as the former scientist finally moved his knight.

"How's Teyla?" he asked quietly.

Sheppard leaned forward and studied his pieces, clearly avoiding eye contact this time. "She's doing well. Torren's in speech therapy and she got a job at –

"You know what I meant," Rodney smirked at his friend's discomfort.

John grinned but shook his head. "What's the situation with Jennifer?"

He laughed darkly. "She's furious with me, understandably, but she still visits."

His friend finally looked up. "Anyone else?"

Rodney scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "Mostly just you and Ronon – and he gets kicked out most of the time."

Sheppard studied the board as he leaned forward with a faint smile. "Good old Ronon."

They quietly played for awhile until the guard broke the silence with an awkward announcement that McKay had only a few more minutes of visiting time remaining.

John sucked in a breath. "They still haven't found Cale."

Rodney looked up at him with a confused expression. "How could they have not found him? I gave them the address and everything –

"The building was wiped clean by the time a SWAT team got there. As soon as you left, he was out of town."

McKay buried his face in his arms as he groaned. "Great."

"Rodney," Sheppard sighed, reaching out to give him a sympathetic grip on the shoulder but then refraining when he remembered the no-contact rules, "look, they'll find him."

His friend looked up and stared at the game before him. "He's always going to be one move ahead of them though. He's more dangerous than you think."

Attempting to change the subject, John quickly redirected. "I never thanked you."

McKay raised his brow as he moved in his piece. "For what?"

Sheppard stared at his closest friend – his _best_ friend – clad in an unflattering orange suit, and he realized he would never see him outside of these walls or in a better looking outfit. He held back the tears that had been coming so much more easily recently as he inhaled. "For never giving up on me when everyone else had. Nothing excuses my behavior back then but I'm better now, and I'd like to give most of the credit to you."

Rodney looked up now. He opened his mouth to reply but quickly shut it, settling for a nod instead.

Uncomfortable with the sudden closeness of the moment, the two men returned to the game as John half-heartedly made his next move.

Suddenly McKay's face broke into a huge grin that his friend had not seen in a long while.

Confused, he looked down and then he smiled as well.

"Checkmate."


End file.
